ABSTRACT
The relevance of a local-global perspective is obvious in Africa and, in particular, in those countries comprising the 'Hom' - Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somaliland, and Somalia proper. The geopolitical climate today is influenced by local political and social conflicts not only in terms of specific internal histories and effects, but also their interaction with forces operating on a global level. Whether viewed in terms of the impacts of colonialism from an earlier era, or considered in relation to the burgeoning global influences of corporate capital and the international economic community, internal political and social conflicts in the African states cannot be understood without reference to pressures brought to bear by the forces of globalization. Indeed, it often appears that much of the internal strife particular to the region - whether it be so-called 'clan wars' ,2 famine, repression of dissent, or military dictatorship - is a direct product of the combined forces of past colonialism and present globalization. Recent bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania can be viewed as stark examples of violent conflict in the region that was motivated by a disdain for Western policies and practices in the area (sentiments that only have intensified with U.S. retaliations such as the bombing of Sudan). Examining this complex relationship between external pressures and internal conflict is the principal aim of this overview of the Hom.
