This book deals with the economic and developmental challenges facing contemporary Algerian society. The social structures, the political institutions, the movements and ideologies, as well as cultural dilemmas, are considered in depth to give the fullest picture of the twenty-first century development. The immediate focus of the book will be the major changes, which are either underway or desperately needed, if Algeria is to move towards economic and social progress and away from the permanent seething conflict with which it is afflicted. The importance of this undertaking lies in the contributor's framework for understanding modern Algeria: this does not rely on the repetition of old formulae and rehashing the polemical debates, but moves on to map out possible pathways for future development.