Security, democratisation, and elite politics in the Sahel (SDEP-Sahel)

萨赫勒地区的安全、民主化和精英政治 (SDEP-Sahel)

• 批准号: ES/W011905/2
• 负责人: Eloïse Bertrand
• 金额: $ 27.41万
• 依托单位: University of Nottingham
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FW011905%2F2
• 关键词: Security; democratisation; elite; politics; Sahel

A spiralling crisis is unfolding in the Sahel - which extends from Senegal to Chad, and from the Sahara Desert to the northern parts of Nigeria and Cameroon. Violent extremism has been spreading through the West African region, fuelling humanitarian emergencies and political upheavals that have threatened recent democratic progress. Governance and security dynamics are closely connected, yet their mutual effects and the role of political elites in shaping these dynamics is still poorly understood. This project aims to identify ways to simultaneously promote security and democratic outcomes, through original and collaborative interdisciplinary research. This research will address how democratisation, security, and elite politics intersect in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria: three countries spanning across two conflict zones (the Central Sahel and Lake Chad Basin) and displaying distinct historical trajectories, but facing similar challenges to their security and democratic prospects. Drawing on the PI's experience of conducting comparative research in the region and the local knowledge and networks of three West African postdoctoral researchers and their home institutions (IGD in Burkina Faso, LASDEL in Niger, and the University of Ibadan's DPSHS in Nigeria), we will conduct qualitative research in these countries to investigate the mutual effects of democratisation processes and institutions, security approaches, and elites' political survival strategies, and the implications of these findings for domestic and international policymakers' engagement in the region.Based upon key informant interviews with politicians, civil society activists, military officers, diplomats, and other stakeholders, and content analysis of media reports, government communication, legislation and grey literature, the project combines in-depth case studies with a comparative approach cutting across linguistic cleavages (between Francophone and Anglophone Africa) and conflict zones (Lake Chad Basin and Central Sahel). In turn, the project's findings will contribute to the evidence base informing civil society groups' and international partners' engagement in the region. Building upon the existing connections between the PI and her institution, and highly-respected institutions including the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in the UK and the Timbuktu Institute in West Africa, we will continuously engage with policymakers and practitioners - from domestic and international think-tanks to the UK's FCDO and the EU's EEAS - to maximise the impact of our research. Implementing this project will allow the PI to hone her leadership skills and consolidate her reputation as an expert in her field, with support from her mentor - Dr Ed Stoddard. In turn, she will support the career development of the researchers through mentoring and tailored training, provided in tandem with an advisor in each host institution: Dr Abdoul Karim Saidou (IGD, Burkina Faso), Dr Oumarou Hamani (LASDEL, Niger), and Dr Nathaniel Danjibo (University of Ibadan, Nigeria).The PI will produce a book manuscript, a journal article aimed at African Security, and two policy briefs in collaboration with RUSI and the Timbuktu Institute, with support from the postdoctoral researchers. The project will also lead to the production of three additional articles each written by a postdoctoral researcher, with guidance and contribution from the PI. Advisors in each institution will also have opportunities to contribute to the project's outputs. Findings will also be disseminated through workshops and webinars bringing together academics and policymakers, and major conferences in the UK and in Africa. Overall, this research will enable scholars, analysts, and policymakers to understand the mutual effect security and democratisation dynamics have on each other, ultimately contributing to addressing the challenges faced by Sahelian countries.

萨赫勒（Sahel）正在发生螺旋危的危机 - 从塞内加尔（Senegal）到乍得（Chad），从撒哈拉沙漠（Sahara Desert）到尼日利亚和喀麦隆北部。暴力极端主义一直在整个西非地区传播，助长了威胁到最近民主进步的人道主义紧急情况和政治动荡。治理和安全动力密切相关，但它们的相互影响以及政治精英在塑造这些动力学方面的作用仍然很少了解。该项目旨在通过原始和协作的跨学科研究来确定同时促进安全和民主成果的方法。这项研究将探讨布基纳法索，尼日尔和尼日利亚的民主化，安全和精英政治如何相交：跨越两个冲突地区（中央萨赫勒和乍得湖盆地）的三个国家（三个国家）如何表现出不同的历史轨迹，但面临着对其安全和民主前景的类似挑战。利用PI在该地区进行比较研究的经验，以及三名西非的博士后研究人员及其家庭机构的当地知识和网络（在布尔基纳法索的IGD，尼日尔的Lasdel，尼日尔的Lasdel，伊巴丹大学的DPSHS及其尼日利亚的DPSHS），我们将在这些国家中进行这些国家的互惠效应，并在这些国家中进行合理研究，并在这些国家中进行互惠式效应，并调查了众多的生存效应，并将其构成不稳定的效应，并将其调查综合效应，并将其逐渐效应。策略以及这些发现对国内和国际决策者在该地区的参与的影响。基于与政治家，民间社会活动家，军事官员，外交官和其他利益相关者的关键知情者访谈，以及对媒体报告，政府交流，立法和灰色文献的内容分析，与跨越跨越的clansive clocy and clancore and and offaighte（政府沟通，立法和灰色文献），并将其与语言进行了范围的范围（范围），并进行了诸如语法的范围（范围）（耶稣区域（乍得湖和中央萨赫勒湖）。反过来，该项目的调查结果将有助于证据基础，以告知民间社会团体和国际伙伴在该地区的参与。在PI与她的机构之间的现有联系以及受备受尊敬的机构之间的建立，包括英国皇家联合服务研究所（RUSI）和西非的Timbuktu研究所，我们将不断与政策制定者和从业人员（从国内和国际思想家的政策制定者和从业者）互动，从英国的FCDO和EU的EEAS - 以最大程度地影响我们的研究。实施该项目将使PI能够在导师Ed Stoddard博士的支持下磨练她的领导能力，并巩固她在领域的专家声誉。反过来，她将通过指导和量身定制的培训来支持研究人员的职业发展，该培训与每个房东机构的顾问（Abdoul Karim Saidou博士（IGD，Burkina Faso），Oumarou Hamani（Lasdel，Niger）和Nathaniel Danjibo（Nathaniel Danjibo（Inigria of Inigria）的Anigria Animia An Book a Anigria Anigria a Animan a Animan a Anigria a Animia a Animia a Animia a A.在博士后研究人员的支持下，安全和两项与Rusi和Timbuktu Institute合作的政策摘要。该项目还将在PI的指导和贡献下，由博士后研究人员撰写另外三篇文章。每个机构的顾问还将有机会为项目的产出做出贡献。调查结果还将通过研讨会和网络研讨会来传播，将学者和决策者以及英国和非洲的主要会议汇集在一起​​。总体而言，这项研究将使学者，分析师和政策制定者能够了解彼此的安全和民主化动态的相互影响，最终有助于应对萨赫勒国家所面临的挑战。