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Borders,
Nationalism and the |
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By the end of the
twentieth century, most Western European and North American states enjoyed
effective governments and mostly stable societies. In contrast, European states
- especially in the Balkans - and many African states experienced substantial
political instability and mass racial and ethnic violence. Why? To answer this
question, a study was undertaken, culminating in this book. The study focused
on four African states. Three factors were identified as being essential for
building stable states and societies: the consolidation of |
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borders, the building of state
institutions, and the creation of national consciousness. In order to
understand how these three factors constitute the essential elements for
stable states and societies, this chapter provides a broad historical
background. Subsequent chapters the offer in-depth analyses of border
consolidation, state formation, and national identity formation in |