“Giacomo Macola fills a gap in scholarly literature on Central Africa: linking pre-colonial, colonial and the present times, he unravels the long-term mechanisms producing (extreme) violence in this troubled region.” – Guy Vanthemsche, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

“A must read for all historians working on the region and on conflicts in Africa.” – Karin Pallaver, University of Bologna

“Macola’s book represents a fundamental contribution to the understanding of the continuities that characterise the power dynamics in the Congo Basin and that have made it, for over two centuries, one of the most violent areas in the world.” – Luca Jourdan, University of Bologna