Extractive Economies and Conflicts in the Global South: Multi-Regional Perspectives on Rentier Politics

The majority of developing countries in the Global South are evidently rich in natural resources, but paradoxically blighted by excruciating poverty and conflicts. This paradox of deprivation and war in the midst of plenteous resources has been the subject of great debate in international political economy in contemporary history. This book contributes to the debate by examining the underlying structures, actors and contexts of rentier politics and how they often produce and aggravate conflicts in the various extractive economies and regions of the Global South. The book critically explores the theories of rentier economies and natural resource conflicts, as well as the practical ramifications of rentier politics in the Global South with all their resonance for political economy and security in the Global North.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Extractive economies and conflicts in the global South: re-engaging rentier theory and politics, Kenneth Omeje; Rentier politics, extractive economies and conflict in the global South: emerging ramifications and theoretical exploration, Usman A. Tar; Anatomy of an oil insurgency: violence and militants in the Niger delta, Nigeria, Michael Watts; Nationalization versus indigenization of the rentier space: oil and conflicts in Nigeria, Ukoha Ukiwo; Greed or grievance? Diamonds, rent-seeking and the civil war in Sierra Leone (1991–2002), John M. Kabia; Politics and oil in Sudan, Peter Woodward; São Tomé and Príncipe: the troubles of oil in an aid-dependent micro-state, Gerhard Seibert; Rentier politics and low intensity conflicts in the DRC: the case of Kasai and Katange provinces, Germain Tshibambe Ngoie and Kenneth Omeje; Thugs' paradise, agencies' guinea pig and the natural resource intrigue: the civil war in Liberia, T. Debey Sayndee; Resource exploitation, repression and resistance in the Sahara-Sahel: the rise of the rentier state in Algeria, Chad and Niger, Jeremy Keenan; Oil sovereignties in the Mexican Gulf and Nigerian Niger delta, Anna Zalik; Extractive resources and the rentier space: a South American perspective, Julia Buxton; Rentier states and war-making: the United Arab Emirates and Iraq in comparative perspective, Rolf Schwarz; Rethinking the rentier syndrome: oil and resource conflict in the Persian Gulf, Dauda Abubakar; Index.

About the Author :
Dr Kenneth Omeje, Professor of International Relations at the United States International University, Nairobi, Kenya Kenneth Omeje, Usman A. Tar, Michael Watts, Ukoha Ukiwo, John M. Kabia, Peter Woodward, Gerhard Seibert, Germain Tshibambe Ngoie, T. Debey Sayndee, Jeremy Keenan, Anna Zalik, Julia Buxton, Rolf Schwarz, Dauda Abubakar.

Review :
'Not since Beblawi and Luciani twenty years ago has rentier theory enjoyed such an extension of its frontiers. Bringing together all of the current scholarship, and cases from around the world, this book critically challenges the arguments which have come to dominate the subject, and asks its readers to ask themselves, would these countries have been better off without their resource rents?' Douglas A Yates, American University of Paris/AGSIRD, France 'Many studies try to explain the Resource Curse by reducing its scope and complexity. This marvellous new volume does the opposite - situating extractive economies and resource politics in a deep historical context, and giving us new insights into the many overlapping struggles for control of rents.' Michael Ross, University of California, Los Angeles, USA