STRUCTURE AND PROCESS - EXPLAINING VIOLENT CONFLICT IN POSTCOLONIAL SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Because of their complexity and their great variety, wars in post-colo nial Africa seem to escape any effort of scientific explanation. Based on the ''Hamburg approach'' for the study of causes of war, the autho r argues in favor of an explanatory attempt that combines structural h istory and a sociological analysis of processes. According to this app roach, the hybride mixture of traditional and civic-capitalist forms o f Vergesellschaftung of African societies can be formulated in the ide al-typical conceptions of neopatrimonial rule, the extended family and ethnic consciousness. These structures determine the modes of conflic t behavior in contemporary African societies as well as organizational principles of the opposing parties.