"This volume offers an important alternative to conventional accounts of Guinea-Bissau as a ‘marginal’, ‘weak’, ‘failed’ or ‘narco’ state. Its nuanced reassessment of the entanglements between state, society, regional and global dynamics is essential for anyone interested in the political actors, structural challenges, and complex history of this often-misunderstood place."
Rui Lopes, a researcher at the Institute of Contemporary History, NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal. Head of the research project Amilcar Cabral: From Political History to the Politics of Memory (2016-19).
"This work brings together a distinguished group of authors with expertise in Guinea-Bissau. Focused on the issue of instability, it explores a diverse array of relevant themes, making it an essential resource for understanding the state and politics of Guinea-Bissau. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the country."
Álvaro Nóbrega, Universidade de Lisboa-ISCSP, Portugal.
"Political Instability in Guinea-Bissau constitutes an essential contribution to the academic work on Guinea-Bissau. Rather than taking a traditionally nationalist methodological approach to understanding politics in the country, this anthology simultaneously explores its micro-political undercurrents while situating them within their regional and global contexts. Guinea-Bissau is exceptionally interesting as a site of localized politics, yet even more so in terms of its irregular international entanglements. This book should be required reading for anyone interested in Guinea-Bissau specifically, as well as the intersection between development politics and global dynamics more broadly. It is highly recommendable."
Henrik Vigh, Professor, Head of the Centre for Global Criminology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
"Political Instability in Guinea-Bissau”
How can we make sense of the “perennial crisis” that seems to define Guinea-Bissau?
This book offers a crucial contribution for academics, students, and analysts seeking to understand the country’s complex political and social landscape. Across 13 chapters, it unravels the intricate power dynamics at play through a comprehensive and multilevel approach, examining historical legacies, the agency of political leaders, structural conditions, and the role of civil society actors.
Drawing on a diverse range of conceptual and analytical tools, the chapters explore themes such as non-developmental patrimonialism, political institutions, and gender perspectives. The book also sheds light on the instrumentalization of ethnic and religious cleavages, as well as the persisting influence of external actors at both regional and international levels.
The result is a rich and nuanced dialogue that deepens our understanding of Guinea-Bissau’s enduring challenges and political complexity.
Teresa Nogueira Pinto – Professor at Lusófona University, Portugal
"This volume offers an important alternative to conventional accounts of Guinea-Bissau as a ‘marginal’, ‘weak’, ‘failed’ or ‘narco’ state. Its nuanced reassessment of the entanglements between state, society, regional and global dynamics is essential for anyone interested in the political actors, structural challenges, and complex history of this often-misunderstood place."
Rui Lopes, a researcher at the Institute of Contemporary History, NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal. Head of the research project Amilcar Cabral: From Political History to the Politics of Memory (2016-19).
"This work brings together a distinguished group of authors with expertise in Guinea-Bissau. Focused on the issue of instability, it explores a diverse array of relevant themes, making it an essential resource for understanding the state and politics of Guinea-Bissau. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the country."
Álvaro Nóbrega, Universidade de Lisboa-ISCSP, Portugal.
"Political Instability in Guinea-Bissau constitutes an essential contribution to the academic work on Guinea-Bissau. Rather than taking a traditionally nationalist methodological approach to understanding politics in the country, this anthology simultaneously explores its micro-political undercurrents while situating them within their regional and global contexts. Guinea-Bissau is exceptionally interesting as a site of localized politics, yet even more so in terms of its irregular international entanglements. This book should be required reading for anyone interested in Guinea-Bissau specifically, as well as the intersection between development politics and global dynamics more broadly. It is highly recommendable."
Henrik Vigh, Professor, Head of the Centre for Global Criminology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
"Political Instability in Guinea-Bissau”
How can we make sense of the “perennial crisis” that seems to define Guinea-Bissau?
This book offers a crucial contribution for academics, students, and analysts seeking to understand the country’s complex political and social landscape. Across 13 chapters, it unravels the intricate power dynamics at play through a comprehensive and multilevel approach, examining historical legacies, the agency of political leaders, structural conditions, and the role of civil society actors.
Drawing on a diverse range of conceptual and analytical tools, the chapters explore themes such as non-developmental patrimonialism, political institutions, and gender perspectives. The book also sheds light on the instrumentalization of ethnic and religious cleavages, as well as the persisting influence of external actors at both regional and international levels.
The result is a rich and nuanced dialogue that deepens our understanding of Guinea-Bissau’s enduring challenges and political complexity.
Teresa Nogueira Pinto – Professor at Lusófona University, Portugal
