The Struggle for Land in Southern Somalia: The War Behind the War

Somalia remains a land violently divided by class and cultural conflicts. Since 1991, it has experienced governmental collapse, a brutal civil war, and the death and displacement of several millions of its people. Why did a country whose people shared a common religion, language, and culture fragment so deeply, and remain divided despite unprecedented international intervention? The Struggle for Land in Southern Somalia examines issues of land and resources as key ingredients in the politics of modern day Somalia, and adds a critical new dimension to the understanding of factional politics and ethnic/regional rivalries. Based on extensive field research of the nine contributors, the chapters deal with a range of interlinked issues of land and resources, and provide invaluable data on rural life and intra-ethnic relations. This important work is described by the distinguished Africanist I.M. Lewis, writing in the Times Literary Supplement, as "essential reading for anyone interested in understanding problemsin Somalia". It has taken on new relevance in the wake of September 11 as this collapsed state has again come under the international microscope. Despite unprecedented international intervention, Somalia remains divided. Drawing on evidence of disputes over land rights and natural resources over several decades, this collection of studies adds a critical new dimension to the understanding of factional politics and ethnic/regional rivalries in Somalia. The Struggle for Land in Southern Somalia will be of interest to academics in both political science and African studies while at the same time being of interest to a more general audience. Catherine Besteman is associate professor of anthropology at Colby College. She is the author of Unraveling Somalia: Race, Violence, and the Legency of Slavery. Lee V. Cassanelli is associate professor of history at the University of Pennsylvania and director of the African Studies Center, and author of The Shaping of Somali Society.