Beyond Humanitarianism: What You Need to Know About Africa and Why It Matters

By George Gavrilis

Book Overview

To mark the centennial of the Council on Foreign Relations, George Gavrilis tells the story of the organization's founding by a small group of influential New Yorkers at the end of the First World War and its growth into a diverse national organization and one of America's most prominent institutions. Drawing from a rich trove of archival sources, oral histories, and contemporary interviews, Gavrilis crafts an engrossing and intimate account of the Council's path, following it through the Second World War, its immediate aftermath, the Cold War, Vietnam, the emergence of globalization, and the rise of China. This short, entertaining, and highly readable book provides an insider perspective on the major foreign policy issues that shaped the Council-and how the Council in turn influenced the debates over American foreign policy-and outlines the Council's future role in a rapidly changing society and world.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0876099002
• ISBN13: 9780876099001
• Release Date: April 2021
• Publisher: Council on Foreign Relations Press
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Very good book

If you want to learn a bit about Africa, this is the text for you.

A bold new perspective on aligning American and African interests

After reading this informative compilation of essays from various "Africa" experts I came away more heartened than I expected. Despite the oppressive news reports with dire predictions of the decay, destruction and degeneration of African culture, politics and social landscape, this book tries to shift the outlook by showing possibilities where we have traditionally seen problems. While other countries are strategically positioning themselves for what may be a new order of the African continent, America seems to be content in its paternalistic charitable mindset. Hopefully, if the perspective contained in this book is adopted, America may realize that the alignment of its own interest and that of Africa may be mutually beneficial. Africa is not the afflicted continent.

A Must-read "Citizen's Guide" to Africa

This is a fascinating compilation of pieces from an exceptional group of experts about a wide array of regions and issues facing the African continent. Anyone who is interested in learning about the complexities of African life beyond Darfur and the AIDS epidemic should read this book. It's laid out beautifully and in comprehensive sections, each with a variety of essays exploring topics from South Africa to Nigeria, from the youth bulge to terrorism. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a more in-depth look at Africa than can be found in the daily headlines.