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Circumstantial Alliances and Loose Loyalties in Rebellion Making: The Case of Tuareg Insurgency in Northern Niger (2007-2009)

Author

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  • Yvan Guichaoua

    (Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford)

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to specify the nature of the Mouvement des Nigériens pour la Justice (MNJ) as a non-state armed organisation and to make sense of its shaky existence since its inception, almost three years ago, with a particular focus on the period that made the MNJ a serious political and military opponent to the government. Our argument is that circumstantial alliances and percolation of grievances provoked by local micro-political dynamics and long-standing disenfranchisement of some sections of the Tuareg youth permitted the movement to take off as a credible rebel group. Ultimately, we want to verify if existing analytical tools made available by the theoretical literature on non-state armed groups are adequate to make sense of the MNJ’s organisational trajectory, particularly considering Jeremy Weinstein’s seminal book “Inside Rebellion” (Weinstein, 2006). By putting too much emphasis on “initial conditions”, Weinstein’s model, we argue, fails to properly acknowledge the micro-social dynamics that shape armed groups and their erratic trajectory, and we stress the need to investigate what armed organizations are sociologically made of rather than bluntly postulating their existence.

Suggested Citation

  • Yvan Guichaoua, 2009. "Circumstantial Alliances and Loose Loyalties in Rebellion Making: The Case of Tuareg Insurgency in Northern Niger (2007-2009)," Research Working Papers 20, MICROCON - A Micro Level Analysis of Violent Conflict.
  • Handle: RePEc:mcn:rwpapr:20
    as

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    File URL: http://www.microconflict.eu/publications/RWP20_YG.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2009
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    Cited by:

    1. Franklin Charles Graham, 2011. "Abductions, kidnappings and killings in the Sahel and Sahara," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(130), pages 587-604, December.
    2. Cees De Haan & Etienne Dubern & Bernard Garancher & Catalina Quintero, 2016. "Pastoralism Development in the Sahel," World Bank Publications - Reports 24228, The World Bank Group.
    3. Henrikas BartuseviÄ ius, 2019. "A congruence analysis of the inequality–conflict nexus: Evidence from 16 cases," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 36(4), pages 339-358, July.

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