Radical movements and their recruitment strategies in Africa: some theoretical assumptions
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2016
TITLE AUTHOR(S): N.A.Check
KEYWORDS: AFRICA, TERRORISM
DEPARTMENT: African Institute of South Africa (AISA)
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 9768
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/10910
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/10910
If you would like to obtain a copy of this Research Output, please contact Hanlie Baudin at researchoutputs@hsrc.ac.za.
Abstract
The paper examines some theoretical assumptions to the recent and recurring wave of terror attacks across the African continent. The paper notes that poverty, inequality, citizenship, state formation, dependency, development theories, together with the fluidity of African geographical boundaries are major contributing factors to terrorism on the continent. However, the paper focuses on post-modernism, structural functionalism and colonialism as the perennial theoretical assumptions that have masterminded terrorism on the African continent. This is made complicated by the seeming inability of many African economies to function and compete effectively in the global arena, which in essence has led to pervasive poverty and unemployment, thereby facilitating the enrolment of young and energetic people into terror group cells around the continent. The African Union???s counter terrorism framework, more particularly the 1999 Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism, the African Union (AU) plan of action on the prevention and combating of terrorism and the Dakar declaration against terrorism are some key strategic approaches which the AU has undertaken to stem this phenomenon on the continent. Nonetheless, acts of terrorism have intensified over the years. The paper asks the question, why these recurring attacks? The paper makes a strong point on the reassessment of the AU counterterrorism approach with special regards to the east African region affected by Al-Shabaab and the west/central African region impacted by the activities of AZAWAD and Boko Haram. This should be done in collaboration with state and non-state actors in the security and social fields in order to come up with a concerted coalition to address this phenomenon. The paper concludes with some policy recommendations for the affected countries.-
Related Research Outputs:
- Africa insight: draining the swamps of "homegrown terrorism"
- Counter-terrorism in the horn of Africa: new security frontiers, old strategies
- Africa, a bedrock of terror?
- Africa insight: global cop USA seeks more presence in Africa
- Book review: Goetz, A.M., Hassim, S. (eds.) (2003). No shortcuts to power: African women in politics and policy making. Cape Town: Zed Books. 246 p. ISBN 1842771477
- Democracy in Africa: moving beyond a difficult legacy
- Book review: Legum, C. (2001) Africa since independence. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press.105pp. & Abrahamsen, R. Disciplining democracy: development discourse and good governance in Africa. London: Zed Books. 168pp. & Salih, M. (2001) African democracies and African politics. London: Pluto Press. 234pp
- Fragments of democracy: nationalism, development and the state in Africa
- Educational research in the African development context: rediscovery, reconstruction and prospects
- Africa in the contemporary world
- Escaping Europe's clutches
- Managing African conflicts: the challenge of military intervention
- Globalization and emerging trends in African states' foreign policy-making process
- African sociology: towards a critical perspective: the collected essays of Bernard Makhosezwe Magubane
- With Africa for Africa: towards quality education for all
- Assessment of mathematics and science in Africa (AMASA)
- Report to the EFA regional technical advisory group, UNESCO sub-regional office for Southern Africa on EFA assessment
- Education and culture: report-back from session 2
- A comparative analysis of the financing of HIV/AIDS programmes in Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe, October 2003
- Between poverty and prosperity: the new development: agenda for Africa