'Employing an interdisciplinary approach that draws on history as well as anthropology, his research goes beyond superficial or abstract theoretical assumptions in a bid to understand the connections between geography, social structures and the challenges faced by Somalis in meeting the demands of the post-colonial world order.'
- Survival,
'Prunier provides an insightful and comprehensive analysis of the formation of the Republic of Somaliland. He manages to connect local details to regional and global developments, and delivers a timely and highly accessible interpretation of the turbulent history of the region.'
- Jutta Bakonyi, Associate Professor of Development and Conflict, University of Durham, and author of 'Country without a State: Economy and Society in Wars, the Example of Somalia',
'The Country That Does Not Exist is the book on how a post-nation-state world order may unfold. A breath of fresh air, it is a must-read for academics and policy experts alike, showing the elusiveness (and futility) of conventional approaches to rebuilding states.'
- Will Reno, Professor of Political Science at the Program of African Studies, Northwestern University,
'This compulsively readable book, filled with eyewitness testimonies, tells the story of the birth of still-unrecognised Somaliland from the wreckage of the collapsed Somali state. It provides an unrivalled guide to how governance among Somalis can, and cannot, be created.'
- Christopher Clapham, Centre of African Studies, University of Cambridge,
'A very readable history of the enigma that is Somaliland--a country that does not exist in the eyes of other nations, but whose people crafted a political settlement that has endured for decades. Prunier describes Somaliland’s remarkable story, but also the risks of young Somalilanders living in their parents' "frozen dreams".'
- Mark Bradbury, Executive Director of the Rift Valley Institute and author of Becoming Somaliland,