Security, democratisation, and elite politics in the Sahel (SDEP-Sahel)

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的萨赫勒地区正在上演一场螺旋式上升的危机。暴力极端主义一直在西非地区蔓延，加剧了人道主义紧急情况和政治动荡，威胁到最近的民主进步。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，找出同时促进安全和民主成果的方法。这项研究将探讨民主化、安全和精英政治如何在布基纳法索、尼日尔和尼日利亚交汇：这三个国家横跨两个冲突地区(萨赫勒中部和乍得湖盆地)，显示出截然不同的历史轨迹，但在安全和民主前景方面面临着类似的挑战。根据国际和平研究所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)在当地的知识和网络，我们将在这些国家进行定性研究，以调查民主化进程和机构、安全方法和精英的政治生存战略的相互影响，以及这些发现对国内和国际政策制定者在该地区参与的影响。基于对政治家、公民社会活动家、军官、外交官和其他利益攸关方的关键线人采访，以及对媒体报道、政府沟通、该项目将深入的案例研究与跨越语言鸿沟(法语非洲和英语非洲之间)和冲突地区(乍得湖盆地和萨赫勒中部)的比较方法结合起来，包括立法和灰色文献。反过来，该项目的调查结果将有助于为民间社会团体和国际伙伴在该区域的参与提供证据基础。在PI和她的机构以及包括英国皇家联合军种研究所(RUSI)和西非廷巴克图研究所在内的备受尊敬的机构之间现有联系的基础上，我们将继续与政策制定者和从业者--从国内和国际智库到英国的FCDO和欧盟的EEAS--接触，以最大限度地发挥我们研究的影响。实施这个项目将使PI能够磨练她的领导技能，并在她的导师Ed Stoddard博士的支持下巩固她作为该领域专家的声誉。反过来，她将通过指导和有针对性的培训来支持研究人员的职业发展，培训由每个主办机构的一名顾问共同提供：Abdoul Karim Saidou博士(布基纳法索IGD)、Oumarou Hamani博士(尼日尔LASDEL)和Nathaniel Danjibo博士(尼日利亚伊巴丹大学)。该项目还将产生三篇额外的文章，每篇文章都由一名博士后研究员撰写，并由PI提供指导和贡献。每个机构的顾问也将有机会为该项目的产出做出贡献。调查结果还将通过研讨会和网络研讨会传播，这些研讨会将学者和政策制定者聚集在一起，并在英国和非洲举行重大会议。总体而言，这项研究将使学者、分析师和政策制定者能够了解安全和民主化动态对彼此的相互影响，最终有助于解决萨赫勒国家面临的挑战。

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.