Politics: Africa Week Twelve Reading and Lecture Notes: Dreams of Unity
Ch20 - Ethnic Identity and Conflicts in Africa
All for this textbook (4)
Written for
Universiteit Leiden (UL)
International Studies
Politics: Africa
All documents for this subject (16)
Seller
Follow
revak
Content preview
L8 - Chapter 17: politics of identity
and the crisis of nation-building in
Africa
Created @November 10, 2022 2:58 PM
Class politics: africa
Type Reading
INTRODUCTION
first section explores context of identity in Africa
second outlines nature and character of identity politics
third explores impact of the crisis of identity politics on the process of nation-building in
Africa
WHY IDENTITY MATTERS IN THE
AFRICAN CONTEXT
identity defined as
“the way individuals and groups define themselves are defined by others on the
basis of race, ethnicity, religion, language and culture”
identity politics
derived from activities of individuals or groups who try to whip up identity
sentiments in struggle for authoritative allocation and distribution of scarce
resources of the state
fallout of identity politics led to ugly development such as
genocide in Rwanda
civil war in Nigeria
L8 - Chapter 17: politics of identity and the crisis of nation-building in Africa 1
, apartheid in South Africa
Identity matters in Africa for the following reasons:
1. the ascriptive nature of African culture
2. colonial legacy
3. communal nature of Africa
4. socio-economic inequality
5. bad leadership
the ascriptive nature of African culture
centrality of identities like birth, kinship, gender, age, etc. in African culture can’t be
ignored
self-perception stems from shared sense of in-group adhesion based on trust, custom,
familiarity and belonging, and an assumption of collective identity derived from
common descent, territorial affiliation or both
colonial legacy
pre-colonial African communities appreciated and respected different identities but
through instruments of colonialism, the foundation of the crisis of identity was laid
the state, a central legacy given to Africa by colonialism was at the centre of this
through imposition of arbitrary boundaries, colonial forces
highlighted different identities through discriminatory and divide and rule policies
communal nature of Africa
communalism
believed by Africans to be originally “god-made” because it transcends the people
who live in it now
also “man-made” because it can’t be culturally understood independent of those who
live in it now
Africans emphasise community life and communalism as living principle, of which basic
ideology is community identity
socio-economic inequality
L8 - Chapter 17: politics of identity and the crisis of nation-building in Africa 2
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller revak. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $4.85. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
