Why Europe Intervenes in Africa: Security Prestige and the Legacy of Colonialism

Why Europe Intervenes in Africa examines the underlying causes of European decisions to intervene in African conflicts since the late 1980s. It focuses on the main European actors: France, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. Inaction is often due to the absence of strategic and economic interests, unwillingness to become involved in former colonies, and Eurocentric assumptions. When intervention occurs, it is primarily for security and prestige, not economic or humanitarian reasons. Past relations with Africa can also drive intervention, but the impact of that past is changing. The book offers a realist and post-colonial theory of European intervention that refutes the assumptions of liberals and constructivists.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 416 pages
Publication date: 03 February 2022
Publisher: C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd

Why Europe Intervenes in Africa delves into the intricate factors that drive European decisions to engage or abstain from military interventions in conflicts across African states since the late 1980s. It specifically focuses on the key European actors who have dispatched troops to the African continent: France, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. When conflicts arise in Africa, the response of European actors is often characterized by inaction. This can be attributed to various factors, including the absence of strategic and economic interests, the reluctance of European leaders to become embroiled in conflicts in former colonies of other European states, and occasionally the Eurocentric notion that conflicts in Africa are a natural and inevitable part of the continent's history. However, when European actors do decide to intervene, their motivations are primarily driven by security and prestige rather than economic or humanitarian considerations. The weight of past relations with Africa can also play a role in shaping European military intervention, although the impact of these past ties is evolving.

This book presents a theoretical framework for European intervention, drawing primarily from realist and post-colonial perspectives. It challenges the assumptions of liberals and constructivists who argue that states and organizations intervene primarily to uphold the principle of the responsibility to protect. By examining the complex interplay of power, interests, and historical legacies, Why Europe Intervenes in Africa provides a nuanced understanding of the factors that shape European engagement in Africa's conflicts.

Weight: 524g
Dimension: 140 x 216 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781787387249