In this revealing new book, Boas and Dunn explore the phenomenon of 'autochthony' in contemporary African politics.

In this revealing new book, B??s and Dunn explore the phenomenon of 'autochthony' - literally 'son of the soil' - in African politics. In contemporary Africa, questions concerning origin are currently among the most crucial and contested issues in political life, directly relating to the politics of place, belonging, identity and contested citizenship. Thus, land claims and autochthony disputes are the hallmark of political crises in many places on the African continent.

Examining the often complex reasons behind this recent rise of autochthony across a number of high-profile case studies - including the Democratic Republic of Congo, C?te d'Ivoire, Liberia, and Kenya - this is an essential book for anyone wishing to understand the impact of this crucial issue on contemporary African politics and conflicts.

The authors' compelling insights, rooted in a deep understanding of the politics of patronage, reveal how powerful forces in the global economy disrupt old patterns of stability and how the introduction of democratic elections and administrative decentralization can in fact aggravate conflict. This is an essential book both for scholars and analysts seeking to understand the new trajectories of conflicts in African countries, and the decisive shift away from top-down networks of authority to uncertain and often contentious centres of power.