Table of Contents

Foreword Introduction Part I Armed Violence: A (Post)Colonial History 1. Colonial Wars and Inter-Wars 2. The Professionalisation of Armed Violence Part II From One War to the Next: Rebellion, Reintegration, Defection 3. Fluid Loyalties 4. Benefiting from War: The Unequal Share of War Dividends Part III Governing with Arms: The 'Unnumbered Decree' 5. A 'Militianised' Army 6. Governing the Inter-War Conclusion

Promotional Information

Written by one of the foremost experts on the country, this book shows how armed violence has become both an ordinary form of political struggle and a practical occupation.

About the Author

Marielle Debos is an associate professor in political science at the Université Paris Ouest Nanterre, and a member of the Institute for Social Sciences of Politics (ISP).

Reviews

Offer[s] a unique understanding of violence in relation to both the economy and the state in Central Africa.
*Anthropological Quarterly*

Excellent and innovative...thoroughly researched.
*The Conversation*

A one-of-a-kind book, a fascinating political ethnography of the men who make their living in the twilight between war and peace. Living by the Gun is the indispensible book on conflict and governance in Chad as well as a seminal analysis of the nature of contemporary war in Africa.
*Alex DeWaal, Executive Director of the World Peace Foundation*

Indispensable reading for anyone struggling to understand why the gun has been, and remains, such an integral part of our global political economy.
*Danny Hoffman, University of Washington*

A compelling and deeply-informed account of the militarization of politics and society in Chad. Rather than leading to chaos, it convincingly shows how armed violence produces political order and is a crucial part of daily practices of dominance.
*Koen Vlassenroot, Conflict Research Group, University of Ghent*

A welcome contribution, providing a wealth of data and rare detail, resulting in new scholarly insights whose significance goes far beyond Chad’s borders.
*Mats Utas, Uppsala University*

Debos’ brilliant ethnography offers an entirely original and compelling account of how people make use of arms when they are not at war and offers great insight into the deep structures of violence. A tour de force.
*Michael Watts, University of California, Berkeley*

Based on a decade of research in and around Chad, this brilliant book brings together an exemplary ethnographic commitment and deep theoretical sophistication. A must read far beyond the confines of African studies or conflict studies.
*Ricardo Soares de Oliveira, University of Oxford*

The publication in English of Marielle Debos's book allows a broad new readership to access her fascinating and eye-opening exploration of the liminal spaces between war and peace. A signal contribution to the study of violent conflict and its many implications for state and society.
*Stathis N. Kalyvas, Yale University*