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.

一场不断升级的危机正在萨赫勒地区展开——从塞内加尔延伸到乍得，从撒哈拉沙漠延伸到尼日利亚和喀麦隆北部地区。暴力极端主义在西非地区蔓延，加剧了人道主义紧急情况和政治动乱，威胁到了近期的民主进步。治理和安全动态密切相关，但它们的相互影响以及政治精英在塑造这些动态中的作用仍然知之甚少。该项目旨在通过原创和协作的跨学科研究，找到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交叉：这三个国家横跨两个冲突地区（萨赫勒中部和乍得湖盆地），展现出截然不同的历史轨迹，但面临着类似的挑战安全和民主前景。借鉴 PI 在该地区进行比较研究的经验以及三名西非博士后研究人员及其所在机构（布基纳法索的 IGD、尼日尔的 LASDEL 和尼日利亚的伊巴丹大学 DPSHS）的当地知识和网络，我们将在这些国家进行定性研究，调查民主化进程和机构、安全方法和精英政治生存战略的相互影响，以及这些研究结果对国内和国际决策者参与民主化进程的影响。该项目基于对政界人士、民间社会活动家、军官、外交官和其他利益相关者的重要知情人访谈，以及对媒体报道、政府沟通、立法和灰色文献的内容分析，将深入的案例研究与比较方法相结合跨越语言鸿沟（非洲法语区和英语区之间）和冲突地区（乍得湖盆地和中萨赫勒地区）。反过来，该项目的研究结果将有助于为民间社会团体和国际合作伙伴参与该地区的活动提供证据基础。基于 PI 与其所在机构以及英国皇家联合军种研究所 (RUSI) 和西非廷巴克图研究所等备受尊敬的机构之间的现有联系，我们将不断与来自国内和国际的政策制定者和从业者进行接触英国 FCDO 和欧盟 EEAS 的智库 - 最大限度地发挥我们研究的影响。实施该项目将使 PI 在导师 Ed Stoddard 博士的支持下磨练她的领导技能并巩固她作为该领域专家的声誉。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，这些培训与每个主办机构的顾问一起提供：Abdoul Karim Saidou 博士（IGD，布基纳法索）、Oumarou Hamani 博士（LASDEL，尼日尔）和Nathaniel Danjibo 博士（尼日利亚伊巴丹大学）。PI 将与 RUSI 和廷巴克图研究所，在博士后研究人员的支持下。该项目还将在 PI 的指导和贡献下撰写另外三篇文章，每篇文章均由一名博士后研究员撰写。每个机构的顾问也将有机会为项目的成果做出贡献。研究结果还将通过学术界和政策制定者汇聚一堂的研讨会和网络研讨会以及英国和非洲的大型会议进行传播。总体而言，这项研究将使学者、分析师和政策制定者了解安全和民主化动态之间的相互影响，最终有助于解决萨赫勒国家面临的挑战。