Governance, Grievance and Violent Extremism in West Africa - Ep. 114

Описание: The Sahel has become the global epicenter for violent extremism. But is it really about religion, or is it just about bad governance?

In Episode 114 of Conflict and Development in Africa, Dr. Michael Nwankpa is joined by Dr. Zacharias Pieri & Professor Kevin Fridy to discuss their new book, Governance, Grievance, and Violent Extremism in West Africa.

We break down why military interventions; from France to Wagner Group keep failing. We also look at the terrifying reality in Mali right now, where the capital is effectively encircled, and ask the hard question: Do people in the hinterlands actually prefer jihadist rule over their own governments?

In This Episode:
[00:00] Intro: The Sahel as a playground for global powers.
[02:00] The New "Scramble": Why everyone wants a piece of West Africa.
[05:38] The History Trap: How jihadists use the "Sokoto Caliphate" to justify war.
[10:00] Weak States: Why the government disappears when you leave the capital.
[13:00] Center vs. Periphery: Why villagers trust local chiefs more than the President.
[20:00] Borderless War: Why African borders don't stop insurgents.
[23:00] The Military Failure: Why guns and drones aren't fixing the problem.
[27:00] Real Islam vs. Jihadism: The tension between Sufi traditions and extremists.
[30:00] JNIM vs. IS-Sahel: The difference between "pragmatic" terrorists and "brutal" ones.
[33:00] Russia, China & The US: Friends of convenience or new colonizers?
[38:00] The Civilian View: Why people are "rolling the dice" on military coups.
[41:50] The Siege of Bamako: How dire is the situation in Mali right now?
[43:00] The Solution: Why we need to empower local leaders, not just soldiers.

About the Guests:
Dr. Zacharias Pieri is an Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of South Florida. Dr. Kevin Fridy is a Professor of Government and World Affairs at the University of Tampa.

Book Mentioned:
Governance, Grievance, and Violent Extremism in West Africa: From the Caliphate to Great Power Competition





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