"This volume debates whether knowledge of the new challenges facing Africa and guided interpretations of their nature will be crucial for linking the revised conventional wisdom of today and what might become tomorrow's new received wisdom." "The contributors explore the four key dimensions of the conventional wisdom: the exercise of power, agrarian change, economic fundamentals, and international development aid. New interpretations of the challenged wisdom and viable alternatives to mainstream representation are offered. The second section discusses five new challenges that Africa has to face in the first part of the 21st century: conflict prevention and peace-building, biodiversity, aids/HIV, economies of crime, and belief systems." "The volume will be particularly suitable for graduate levels and above in African politics, sociology, conflict and peace studies, comparative politics and development studies."--Jacket.