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Clapham Christopher. Horn of Africa: State Formation and Decay. London: Hurst, 2017. xiii + 224 pp. Maps. Index. £15.99. Paper. ISBN 978-1-84904-828-6.
The distinguished political scientist and veteran Ethiopianist Christopher Clapham has written a fascinating account of the formations and fragmentations of states in the volatile conflict-ridden region of the Horn of Africa (HoA), Horn of Africa: State Formation and Decay. The Horn of Africa, which he defines as Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia (including Somaliland), is also defined by droughts and despotism, and much of Clapham’s discussion lies in the relationship of these countries with and to each other. The successful resolution of one problem in the Horn leads to another, and conflict is common in these societies in which people and their beasts are engaged in competition for meager resources. Indeed, this part of Africa is characterized by violence and, as a result, remains a perennially challenging area to study. Geography shapes the social and political structures of HoA societies, which in turn dictates the manner in which they govern themselves. In addition to demography, their modes of economies and socio-politics present a marked contrast, as determined by different ethnicities.
While the HoA is distinctive in many ways, Clapham contrasts it with other African situations, providing brief comparisons as well with China and Russia. The author emphasizes that the people of the Horn are interlinked, making a very useful distinction between the highlanders (the most important group being the Amhara), the lowlanders (the most important group being the Somalis), and the highland...