Violence and Violence Research in Africa South of the Sahara

Abstract

<div>This review presents the major lines of investigation regarding violence in Africa since the Cold War. After a historical introduction to the development of violent&nbsp;phenomena and their political contexts, diverse issues such as civil war, democratization, vigilantism, and the role of youth are assessed. It is argued that recent&nbsp;research has produced important insights by re-focusing on violent phenomena beyond the state. Yet despite the increasing number of non-state violent&nbsp;actors active on the African continent, to speak of a &ldquo;privatization&rdquo; of violence may be premature.</div>

Keywords

• violence
• Sub-Saharan Africa
• literature review