The Root Causes of Sudan's Civil Wars

Sudan's post-independence history has been dominated by long, recurring, and bloody civil wars. Most commentators have attributed the country's political andcivil strife either to an age-old racial and ethnic divide between Arabs andAfricans or to colonially constructed inequalities. In The Root Causes of Sudan'sCivil Wars, Douglas H. Johnson examines historical, political, economic, and socialfactors to come to a more subtle understanding of the trajectory of Sudan's civilwars. Johnson focuses on the essential differences between the modern Sudan's firstcivil war in the 1960s, the current war, and the minor conflicts generated by andcontained within the larger wars. Regional and international factors, such ashumanitarian aid, oil revenue, and terrorist organizations, are cited and examinedas underlying issues that have exacerbated the violence. Readers will find animmensely readable yet nuanced and well-informed handling of the history andpolitics of Sudan's civil wars.