Conflict and Collusion in Sierra Leone

by David Keen

The United Nations' presence in Sierra Leone has made that country a subject of international attention to an unprecedented degree. Once identified as a source of 'the New Barbarism', it has also become a proving ground for Western interventions in the war against terrorism. The conventional diplomatic approach to Sierra Leone's civil war is that it has been a contest between two clearly defined sides. Keen demonstrates this is not the the various armed groups were fractured throughout the 1990s, often colluded with one another, and had little interest in bringing the war to an end. This book not only represents a new and innovative approach to the study of war and Third World development and politics generally. DAVID KEEN is Professor of Complex Emergencies at the Development Studies Institute, London School of Economics North Palgrave

Genres: Sierra Leone

352 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2005

Reviews

[Julia]

Solid thanks David

[John McNeil]

This and Richards’ Fighting for the Rainforest give a great overview of the SL civil war. Appreciate the chronology of the book as it’s such a whirlwind of a conflict. It also provides a lot of insight into the motivating factors of each group involved.

[David Smith]

The war in Sierra Leone - it wasn't between the good guys and the bad guys. There was no ideology. It was about keepoing the fighting going, by whatever means necessary, in order to feed the looting machine that kept a chosen few in the cash and the weapons suppliers smiling. All part of the bigger picture that is endless war. David Keen goes for detail.