The Benefits of Famine — 2008

A Political Economy of Famine & Relief in Southwestern Sudan, 1983–9

By David Keen

“This thoroughly researched and well-written book is essential reading not only for all who deal with famine relief and disaster management but also for students of public health, the social sciences, and rural development.”

The Lancet

The conflict in Darfur had a precursor in Sudan’s famines of the 1980s and 1990s. David Keen’s The Benefits of Famine presents a new and chilling interpretation of the causes of war-induced famine. Now in paperback for the first time with a new and updated introduction by the author, The Benefits of Famine gives depth to an understanding of the evolution of the Darfur crisis.

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David Keen is Reader in Complex Emergencies at the Development Studies Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science.