African Communities : An Inquiry into the Theoretical Logic of Community Formation

African Communities: An Inquiry into the Logic of Community Formation challenges standard Eurocentric assumptions about theories of international relations. The book employs a critical eye to help students better understand how theories of international relations can be tested against a particular phenomenon, in this case the historical process leading to the rise of three modern African communities. The opening chapters details the book's rational and research method, and provide an overview of the major paradigms of international relations – realism, liberalism, and constructivism. Students then learn about Africa's early and modern communities, the emergence of the African Union, and the limits of the paradigms in addressing this emergence. The book also examines the impact of these limits on the formation of the Economic Community of West African States and the South African Development Community. Informed by broad scholarship and a fresh perspective, African Communities: An Inquiry into the Logic of Community Formation is an excellent choice for courses in the politics of Africa, African history, and international politics and relations.