The Democratic Republic of Congo has become one of the world's bloodiest hot spots. 2003 saw the end of a five-year war in which millions lost their lives - one of the deadliest conflicts since World War II. Despite recent peace agreements and democratic elections, the country is still plagued by army and militia violence. Congo remains deeply troubled, since the deep-rooted causes of conflict have not been adequately addressed.
The conflict in the DRC has divided opinion; some call it a civil war, or a war of aggression by the country's neighbours; others a continuation of Rwanda's Hutu-Tutsi conflict on Congolose soil, and a war of partition and pillage. The prevalence of rape and sexual violence has led some analysts to mark it out as a hidden 'war against women'. Tom Turner's insightful book reveals how each of these descriptions accurately captures the separate elements of this complex and multidimensional political conflict. In exploring each of these contributory factors, he shows how current attempts to rebuild the shattered state and society of DRC are doomed to fail. So long as the full complexity of the Congo crisis is not taken into account and a clear consensus as to its precise dimensions reached, the future looks bleak. The DRC, he argues, will likely remain a global hot spot for some time to come.
Industry Reviews
"This study is a remarkably compact and honest summary of
incredibly complex events in Congo since 1998. Turner is among a
handful of Congo observers with the breadth of knowledge and
confidence to distill the country's recent history in such an
excellent manner. His digest of both the causes and
consequences of Congo's recent tragedies will stimulate the
thinking of laymen, students, and scholars alike."
John F. Clark, Florida International University
"The book on Congo that I have been waiting for: compact, powerful,
and judicious. It is clear without oversimplifying the complexity.
It provides an important historical perspective, and makes sexual
violence central to the set of problems that need to be explained.
Perfect for classroom use, and an excellent primer on the central
issues for experts and readers of all hues."
Nancy Rose Hunt, University of Michigan
"With keen attention to historical detail, Turner offers a
wide-ranging analysis of the political and humanitarian challenges
posed by the Congo's agonies; no one seriously interested in taking
the measure of the unfolding crisis can afford to ignore this
compelling effort to make intelligible its never-ending quest for
peace and stability."
Rene Lemarchand, University of Florida
"Thomas Turner has written a powerful book about the causes and consequences of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As an American academic and country specialist of Amnesty International, the author has achieved comprehensiveness in a compact and very accessible manner. Excellently researched and wellwritten, the text comes with many advantages, but none of the disadvantages of its academic peers. It is to be recommended as a substantial but digestible introduction to the country, while also offering a large number of facts and interesting reflections to those who are more familiar with it. It demonstrates great understanding of the Congolese context, while also bringing in new perspectives."
Political Studies Review
