Social Movements in the Renegotiation of the Bases for Citizenship in West Africa

Abstract

This article analyses youth movements in the renegotiation of national belonging and citizenship rights in conflict and post-conflict situations, particularly in Côte d’Ivoire, and in rural development initiatives in the Gambia. In one case, an urban-based movement of ‘young patriots’, with rural variants, is contesting peace accords signed in Paris and claiming to defend the ‘constitutional legality’ of their country coming out of a civil war said to have been engineered by ‘foreigners’ who include descendants of immigrants from neighbouring countries. In the second case, youth associations aiming at improving living conditions in rural Gambia are initiating numerous projects and literally running their villages. In both cases, the article argues, there is a struggle for effective citizenship rights as the very bases of true citizenship are being renegotiated, and a quest for meaningful lives among a largely marginalized youth.

Afrika Zamani: n°26, 2018 - Full Issue

“…Other factors include poverty, lack of access to education and other basic social services, youth unemployment, hopelessness and despair, as well as the influence of family and friends, politics and ideology, culture and tradition. Citizenship status, ethnicisation of politics and the politicisation of ethnolinguistic pluralism in many African countries have served as motivating factors, as communities and social groups feel marginalised, alienated, underrepresented or denied of their rights to exist as bona fide members of the state (Sall 2004;Nnoli 1998;Kandeh 1992). Mamadou Diouf (2003: 5) aptly notes that the exclusion of young Africans from the 'arenas of power, work, education, and leisure' has forced them to 'construct [spaces] of socialization and new sociabilities' in which they assert their identity, either on the margin or at the centre of society.…”

The Zimbabwean Crisis and the Unresolved Conundrum of Race in the Post-colonial Period

“…5 It articulated the politics of postcolonial justice and redress, focusing on the unresolved questions of belonging, citizenship and economic rights. This debate has proved diffi cult to resolve not only in former settler colonies like Zimbabwe, Kenya and South Africa but also in many other African countries with large numbers of non-autochthonous immigrant groups, such as Angola, Uganda, Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Mamdani 1999;Seekings 2008;Cousins 2003;Nzongola-Ntalaja 2004;Malaquis 2000;Sall 2004).…”

From Bounded to Flexible Citizenship: Lessons from Africa

“…In Africa, youth movements are involved in renegotiation of the exclusionary bases of citizenship that have fuelled conflicts over belonging and representation (Chachage & Kanyinga, 2003;Pratten, 2004;Rashid, 2004;Sall, 2004;Honwana & De Boeck, 2005). Women's movements are equally active throughout the continent, challenging the indicators of citizenship narrowly informed by the privileged bases of Western and African masculinities (Dow, 1995;Imam et al, 1997;Selolwane, 1998;Abdullah, 2002).…”