The ongoing crisis in Sudan is characteristic of the many challenges of nation-building on the African continent. Yet it has unique dynamics. The legacy of exploitative colonial rule, racialised marginalisation of the majority of its people, ethnic and religious divisions, and a state with a high capacity for repression but little propensity for extending protection and consensual rule to the majority of its population, has resulted in extended conflict. Current attempts to end half a century of war, instability and state repression have led to a fragile peace. Sustaining this peace will demand all the efforts of national, regional and international actors. This title is an attempt to trace the origins of the problems, the ongoing conflicts and the huge challenges confronting the efforts to bring peace and reconciliation to Sudan.