Peacebuilding, Power, and Politics in Africa

Acknowledgments

xiii Acknowledgments the book arises out of a partnership between the Centre of African Studies (CAS) at the university of Cambridge, and the Centre for Conflict resolution (CCr) in Cape town. it reflects a truly collaborative effort, cutting across disciplines, perspectives, and experiences to analyze the local and global dimensions of the peacebuilding project in Africa. We thank all the chapter authors, who grappled with these difficult themes and from whom we have learned a great deal. A large number of people have been involved in the seminars, workshops , and conferences leading to this book. We thank, in particular, Adekeye Adebajo, who was an unwavering source of inspiration, enthusiasm , and support from the project’s inception. We are also grateful to colleagues at CCr, including dawn nagar and fatima maal, who brilliantly organized a seminar with scholars and practitioners in gaborone in August 2009. the conference in gaborone also benefited from the organizational support and intellectual contributions from faculty and researchers at the university of gaborone, particularly mpho molomo and gabriel malebang. the Centre of African Studies provided a convivial setting for discussions and debates leading to this volume. We are grateful to megan vaughan and to CAS for ensuring such an enjoyable and intellectually stimulating environment. Assistance from dorian Addison and Judith Weik was invaluable in organizing a seminar series and also a workshop in Cambridge in march 2009, and we thank them along with all presenters and participants. it is impossible to thank all those who have helped shape our ideas about peacebuilding. We owe special thanks, however, to margaret Angucia, karen ballentine, tarak barkawi, Adam branch, Sheila bunwaree , Catherine gegout, barry gilder, James mayall, mireille Affa’a mindzie, david moore, mwelwa musambachime, musifiky mwanasali , and gérard Prunier. We benefited enormously from their stimulating ideas, contributions, and criticisms, and this book was shaped by all of them. martha Cheo, one of the visiting fellows at the Centre of African Studies at Cambridge, strengthened our arguments and ideas and constantly reminded us of the need to think about the contributions xiv Acknowledgments of women to peacebuilding in Africa. martha passed away suddenly in nigeria in march 2012. Her lively intellect, her warmth, and her collegiality will be sorely missed. the comments from the series editors and two anonymous reviewers greatly strengthened the volume. Jason Cook did a tremendous job in helping with copyediting. it has been a great pleasure to work with derek Peterson, Harri englund, and Chris Warnes, the series editors, as well as gillian berchowitz, the editor at ohio university Press. We were very lucky to have had the support of the british Academy uk–Africa Partnership fund and the leverhulme trust, in addition to CCr’s donors. We are grateful for their interest and generosity. finally, special thanks to our families, friends, and students. our students at the university of Cambridge and at Witwatersrand university have been some of our most engaging interlocutors, asking critical questions and forcing us to rethink our own assumptions and ideas. We hope that the ideas in this book will inspire and provoke students, scholars, and practitioners in Africa and beyond. Devon Curtis and Gwinyayi A. Dzinesa ...