"Anathematized and outlawed by African nationalism early in the postcolonial period, ethnicity has now eclipsed nationalism. It has proved by far the most potent force for political mobilization. The studies included in this volume provide ample evidence of the potency of ethnicity as the basis for political mobilization. The authors focus on ethnicity's relationship to the state, a manifestly political matter, and try to account for the twists and turns that mark the history of this relationship in the postcolonial era. They consider a variety of factors (economic, social, cultural, religious) that account for the politicization of ethnicity and the volatility of its relationship with the state in Eastern Africa."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved