The Application of New Wars Theory to African Conflicts Since 1960

The notion that 21st century conflict is distinct from the wars of the 20th century has been immensely debated. Various terms have been used to explain contemporary conflict including; 'wars among the people', 'wars of the third kind', 'hybrid wars', 'privatized wars', 'post-modern wars' as well as 'new wars'. But it is the term 'new' that seems to have become a major thrust among the scholars and policy makers. New Wars are the wars of the era of globalization; the term enables one to understand the logic that is inherent in contemporary conflicts and what makes them different from 'old wars'. Against this background, this paper will examine the propositions of New Wars theory, and its application to explaining African conflicts since 1960