Includes bibliographical references (p. [232]-256) and index.

The national Islamic front and the immediate causes of conflict in Darfur -- Beyond mainstream representations of the conflict in Darfur : bringing the state back in -- The rise and demise of the Keira Sultanate and the formation of Sudan -- The construction of the colonial state in Sudan : tribalism, regionalism and race in colonial Sudan -- The failure of Sudanese post-colonial politics, 1956-69 : change in Darfur and the struggle for inclusion -- The collapse of the Sudanese state in Darfur : a prelude to war? -- The NIF and Darfur : the Islamist state project and the revolt of Darfur -- Conclusion : the crisis of the post-colonial state.

"The humanitarian crisis in Darfur, a consequence of the civil war and ongoing violence, has attracted significant international media attention. Here, Noah Bassil offers a re-conception of the conflict in Darfur by examining the origins and progression of the conflict through the broader issue of state failure in post-colonial Sudan. By moving away from a 'localised' view of the conflict, Bassil is able to demonstrate the extent to which the breakdown of social relations in Darfur is interconnected with the wider breakdown of Sudanese and post-colonial societies, offering an examination of the nexus between international, national and local forces. Through its coherent framework for understanding the causes of the civil war that erupted in the Darfur region in 2003, this book provides a unique examination of the conflict and the wider post-colonial situation, making it an important contribution to the fields of History, International Relations and Peace Studies."--Publisher's website.