Half a century after independence, African elites, at least those in conflict-ridden countries, often live in constant fear for their life. Real or invented coup attempts, political assassinations, beatings of opposition leaders, the distribution of death lists, etc. have a profoundly...

Religiöse Eliten engagieren sich in vielen Gewaltkonflikten für Frieden. Normative Rechtfertigungen für ihr Verhalten können dies oftmals jedoch nur unzureichend erklären. Zur Identifizierung von Faktoren für ein Friedensengagement rationaler religiöser Eliten stützen sich die Autoren...

This paper analyzes the declining importance of political parties in the Central African Republic (CAR). It argues that the problematic attitude of elites who are fluctuating between violent and peaceful behavior in order to further their own careers is jeopardizing both peace and democracy. The...

This paper analyzes the role of religion with regard to the violence experienced during the past 20 years in Côte d'Ivoire. It seeks to explain the differences in the level of violence over time by focusing on religion as an identity marker and as a social force that is mobilizable by religious...