Reading list: understanding Somalia’s development
A starting list of the kinds of sources I return to, and how to read them alongside each other.
People often ask where to start if they want to understand development in Somalia. There is no single book that covers it, so here is how I build a reading list.
Start with the long view
History and political economy explain why institutions look the way they do today. Read these before the latest reports, so recent numbers have context.
Then read the data
National surveys, the national development plans and the reports of the central bank and statistics office give the official picture. Read them for what they measure, and notice what they leave out.
Finish with voices from the ground
Local research centres, university theses and journalism capture what larger studies miss. I will add specific titles to this list over time, with a short note on each.