Magic and warfare : appearance and reality in contemporary African conflict and beyond

This study explores roles played by magic in contemporary African warfare, specifically through the case of Sierra Leone, to assess its impact on behavior in conflict. In the last two decades, rituals designed to imbue people with supernatural power and make them immune to enemy fire have been seen on post-Cold War 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 analyzing culturally alien practices more broadly, to inform approaches to civilian and military intervention not only in Africa but in conflict theaters around the world--Publisher's description. 1st ed. xvi, 188 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm