The collapse of states-a phenomenon that goes far beyond rebellion or the change of regimes to involve the literal implosion of structures of authority and legitimacy-has until now received little scholarly attention, despite the fact that a number of states have actually ceased to exist as entities in the aftermath of the collapse of the dominant international system.
The authors of this book address the problem by comparatively examining eleven African cases. In each case, they consider what caused the state to collapse, what the symptoms and early warning signs were, and how the situation was or can be dealt with. They also assess more generally the potential strengths and weaknesses of various responses (e.g. democratization, strongmen, UN action, foreign intervention) to impending state collapse.