Guinea-Bissau is a small country in West Africa, and yet it managed to wrest its independence from Portugal back in 1973, at the cost of a long and bitter struggle against seemingly implacable odds. This was a time to be proud of, and there was also a moment about two decades ago, when it looked like a trendsetter for democracy. Since then things have gone seriously wrong, with a collapsing infrastructure, a dilapidated economy and a political stage prone to military coups d’etats. This fourth edition of Historical Dictionary of Guinea-Bissau tells the long and sometimes unpleasant story. However, like all the country historical dictionaries, it tells it several times and in several ways. First, the chronology traces the history of what became Guinea-Bissau, and this over a period of centuries and not just decades. Then the introduction recounts that history again, providing more insight and understanding, and conveys a good idea of how things are going now. The details follow in the dictionary section with entries on important persons, places, institutions, and events among other things. And the bibliography points to further reading.

This text tells the story of Amilcar Cabral, who, as head of the PAIGC, Guinea-Bissau's nationalist movement, became one of Africa's foremost revolutionary leaders. He led Guinea-Bissau' nationalists to political and military success over a colonial power.

Guinea-Bissau is a small West African nation that harbors bountiful natural resources and boasts an extraordinary diversity of ethnic groups. A Portuguese colony surrounded by francophone neighbors, it won its independence in 1974 after a long peasant-backed war against the colonial regime. But to the surprise of many Africa-watchers, the post-colonial period has been marked by political conflict and economic crisis: a successful coup d'etat in 1980 and several abortive coup attempts, the virtual collapse of the state-run economy, increasing levels of external migration, and the departure of many skilled and educated citizens. This book begins with a survey of pre-colonial peoples, early Portuguese settlement and the slave trade, indigenous resistance to colonial rule, the political economy of Portuguese nationalism, and the armed struggle for national independence. The political events and difficulties that characterized the first decade of independence are then analyzed. Economic advances and setbacks are also discussed, particularly in terms of current market reforms. Throughout, Guinean culture, religion, languages, education, and the role of women are highlighted. Finally, the author reflects on Guinea-Bissau's revolutionary past and examines its prospects through the close of the twentieth century.

This important book tackles some of the main security challenges facing the international development community today. Containing contributions by leading experts, including some who have been at the centre of the international policy debate, it goes further by putting forward suggestions and recommendations as to how best deal with these threats as well as challenges in this crucial area.

Providing a comprehensive and cutting edge examination of this important continent, Routledge Handbook of African Politics surveys the key debates and controversies, dealing with each of the major issues to be found in Africa’s politics today. Structured into 6 broad areas, the handbook features over 30 contributions focused around: The State Identity Conflict Democracy and Electoral Politics Political Economy & Development International Relations Each chapter deals with a specific topic, providing an overview of the main arguments and theories and explaining the empirical evidence that they are based on, drawing on high-profile cases such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, South Africa, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. The Handbook also contains new contributions on a wide range of topical issues, including terrorism, the growing influence of China, civil war, and transitional justice, making it required reading for non-specialists and experts alike. Featuring both established scholars and emerging researchers, this is a vital resource for all students of African Studies, democratization, conflict resolution and Third World politics.