Battle, Michael. Desmond Tutu: A Spiritual Biography of South Africa's Confessor. Westminster John Knox Press, 2021.

The first biography of its kind about Desmond Tutu, this book introduces readers to Tutu's spiritual life and examines how it shaped his commitment to restorative justice and reconciliation. Desmond Tutu was a pivotal leader of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and remains a beloved and important emblem of peace and justice around the world. Even those who do not know the major events of Tutu's life - receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, serving as the first black archbishop of Cape Town and primate of Southern Africa from1986-1996, and chairing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission from 1995-1998 -recognize him as a charismatic political and religious leader who helped facilitate the liberation of oppressed peoples from the ravages of colonialism. But the inner landscape of Tutu's spirituality, the mystical grounding that spurred his outward accomplishments, often goes unseen. Rather than recount his entire life story, this book explores Tutu's spiritual life and contemplative practices-particularly Tutu's understanding of Ubuntu theology, which emphasizes finding one's identity in community-and traces the powerful role they played in subverting the theological and spiritual underpinnings of apartheid. Michael Battle's personal relationship with Tutu grants readers an inside view of how Tutu's spiritual agency cast a vision that both upheld the demands of justice and created space to synthesize the stark differences of a diverse society. Battle also suggests that North Americans have much to learn from Tutu's leadership model as they confront religious and political polarization in their own context.

Source: book descriptions by publisher, culled from https://www.scribd.com/

Ruhumuliza, Gatete Nyiringabo.“Kagame's Rwanda Is Still Africa's Most Inspiring Success Story.” Al Jazeera, October 21, 2019.

This opinion piece informs readers of Rwanda President Paul Kagame's effort to rebuild Rwanda post-genocide. As the President raised mixed feelings from human rights groups and was classified as an authoritarian leader, Kagame brought freedom and protection to the civilians from genocide. His leadership style was questioned by many groups in the West but is respected in Africa.

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BBC. “Egypt President Abdul FattahAl-Sisi: Ruler with an Iron Grip.” BBC News, December 1, 2020. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-19256730.

The news article discusses Egypt President Abdul Fattahal-Sisi’s influence on Egypt and Africa as a whole. The article discusses his work on eradicating crimes against humanity, the economy, the jihadist military, and international support.

Wood, Geoffrey. “The South African Military in Transition”. Australian Journal of Political Science, 31(3), (1996) 387–400. https://doi.org/10.1080/10361149651111

This paper assesses the process of military restructuring in South Africa in the context of that country's negotiated transition. A number of key issues, ranging from the practicalities of the integration process to future defence doctrines, are explored. It is concluded that the restructuring in the military has mirrored the process of elite pacting between key sociopolitical actors. On the one hand, this has ensured the stability of the transition. On the other, radical restructuring has been deferred, and the organisational structures of the former South African Defence Force retained. While a reduction of force levels is planned, the military has rapidly expanded in the past five years.

Source: article abstract

Robinson, Colin D. "Political and Military Obstacles to the North African Regional Capability." The Middle East Journal 74, no. 3 (2020): 379-398. muse.jhu.edu/article/773154.

It appears almost certain that the African Standby Force as originally imagined will never deploy. All five regions have, however, improved military cooperation and gained significant Western investment, strengthening well-positioned elites. Virtually nothing has eventuated in North Africa, primarily because of lack of regional interest, especially following the fall of Libyan leader Mu'ammar al-Qadhafi and the ensuing civil war. Regional armies have significant problems with effectiveness; the force should only be retained if it genuinely fosters regional military cooperation.

Source: article abstract

Peltier, Jean-Philippe N. “Rethinking Africa's Military”. American Foreign Policy Interests, 32:4, (2010) 219-228, DOI: 10.1080/10803920.2010.501208

The United States and many of its allies pour significant resources into funds for military cooperation and training efforts in Africa. But might that assistance need to be reconfigured both to benefit Africans and to achieve America's long-term objectives? The article first examines Africa's desire for traditional military forces against its actual, questionable need for such. It then looks at two central challenges of African militaries: their tendency to project power and the predatory nature of many of them. To counter those tendencies, incentives must be developed for a “developmental military”—to which end the formation of the new U.S. Africa Command is an opportunity to take a fresh look at the continent based on reality and partnering with African states to build the security forces that they truly need.

Source: Article abstract