Title Magic and warfare : appearance and reality in contemporary African conflict and beyond / Nathalie Wlodarczyk

Edition 1st ed Published New York City : Palgrave Macmillan, 2009

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Description 1 online resource (xvi, 188 pages) : illustrations, digital, pdf Contents "Magic" in contemporary Africa -- Spirits in battle -- Thinking about practice in warfare -- Notes on the case study -- The Sierra Leone Civil War and civil defence -- Spiritual context as habitus and capital -- Creating magic soldiers : Kamajor mobilisation and initiation -- The Kamajors in battle : magic, tactics, and success -- Local practice and the wider world of warfare Summary This study explores the roles played by magic in contemporary African warfare, specifically through the case of Sierra Leone, to assess its impact on behaviour in conflict. In the last fifteen years, rituals designed to imbue people with supernatural power and make them immune to enemy fire have been seen on battlefields across Africa. Wlodarczyk argues that the use of magic in warfare can be understood, not as an illustration of how Africa's reality is qualitatively different from the West's, but as appropriate and logical. Here, a conceptual framework is suggested for analysing culturally alien practices more broadly, to inform approaches to civilian and military intervention not only in Africa but in conflict theatres around the world Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 171-176) and index SUBJECT Fremder Feind gnd Subject Military art and science -- Sierra Leone Magic -- Political aspects -- Sierra Leone Shamans -- Sierra Leone War and society -- Sierra Leone Ethnic conflict -- Africa -- Case studies War -- Religious aspects -- Case studies Military art and science -- Africa -- Case studies Magic -- Political aspects -- Africa -- Case studies War and society -- Africa -- Case studies HISTORY. Ethnic conflict Military art and science Shamans War and society War -- Religious aspects Magie Krieg SUBJECT Sierra Leone -- History -- Civil War, 1991-2002 -- Religious aspects Subject Africa Sierra Leone Afrika Sierra Leone -- Bürgerkrieg <1991-2002> Genre/Form Case studies History Form Electronic book ISBN 9780230103344 0230103340 0230621023 9780230621022 1282742574 9781282742574 9781349383139 1349383139

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