Social Conflict in Africa Database

The Social Conflict in Africa Database (SCAD) is a resource for conducting research and analysis on various forms of social and political unrest in Africa. It includes over 6,000 social conflict events across Africa from 1990 to 2009, including riots, strikes, protests, coups, and communal violence. By tracking forms of conflict not covered in traditional datasets on civil and interstate war, SCAD gives policymakers and researchers new tools to analyze conflict patterns. The database includes information on the location, timing, and magnitude of social conflict events, as well as the actors, targets, issues of contention, and government response.

The SCAD research team compiled the data from Associated Press (AP) and Agence France Presse (AFP) news wires. Each event record contains information on start and end dates, the type of event, the actors and targets involved, the number of participants, the number of fatalities, use of government repression, event locations, and issues. While other data sources contain rich information about armed conflict in Africa, the goal of the SCAD project is to provide researchers, journalists, NGOs, and the policy community more detail about other forms of social conflict.

SCAD is part of the Climate Change and African Political Stability (CCAPS) program at the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law at the University of Texas at Austin. The CCAPS program is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Minerva Initiative, a university-based, social science research program focused on areas of strategic importance to national security policy. The SCAD team is based at the University of North Texas and the University of Texas at Austin.

The team has made every effort to provide a comprehensive resource on social conflict in Africa, based on AP and AFP news wires. However, no honest research project can claim to have accounted for each and every instance of unrest. While civil wars and insurgencies are recorded, based on information from the Uppsala University Armed Conflicts Database, SCAD does not provide a comprehensive account of armed conflict. Please see the methodology page and codebook for more information about data limitations and compatibility with other data sources.

Source : The University of Texas at Austin // The Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law // Climate Change and African Political Stability Program via Human Security Gateway

Economic Development for a Secure and Stable Africa

The Strategic Studies Institute (the U.S. Army War College's institute for geostrategic and national security research and analysis) has recently released a new report that explains why the U.S. has a National interest in Africa, and how economic development will be a key to any success we hope to have there.

Security and Stability in Africa: A Development Approach

by Lieutenant Colonel Clarence J. Bouchat (USAF, Ret.).

Brief Synopsis:

The security and stability of Africa has recently become an important national issue readily seen in the increased time, effort, and resources now devoted to the continent by such new organizations as the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM). This paper seeks to overcome centuries of ignorance and misunderstanding about the conditions and people of Africa by discussing the fundamental issues of economic development and political governance through which enduring stability and security might be obtained. Written as a primer for military and government staff members who may be unfamiliar with Africa but are assigned duties that involve participation in African affairs, this paper explains the historic and modern importance of Africa to American national interests. This report offers solutions in terms of improving African stability and security and a framework of several key issues which should give policymakers the knowledge they need to work in a constantly changing and very challenging environment.

Download the full report free HERE