War and Peace in Somalia

Abstract

For the last thirty years Somalia has experienced violence and upheaval. Today, the international effort to help Somalis build a federal state and achieve stability is challenged by deep-rooted grievances, local conflicts and a powerful insurgency led by Al-Shabaab. This book constitutes a unique compendium of insights into the insurgency and its impact. It explores the legacies of past violence, especially impunity, illegitimacy, and exclusion, and the need for national reconciliation. Drawing on decades of experience and months of field research, the chapters throw light on diverse forms of local conflict, its interrelated causes, and what can be done about it. Original research is shared on the role of women, men, and youth in the conflict, and new insight into Al-Shabaab is presented — particularly the group's multi-dimensional strategy, the motivations of its fighters, their foreign links, and the prospects for engagement. The book illuminates the war in Somalia and sets out what can and should be done to bring it to an end.