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

从塞内加尔到乍得，从撒哈拉沙漠到尼日利亚和喀麦隆北部的萨赫勒地区，一场螺旋式上升的危机正在蔓延。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程。治理和安全动态紧密相连，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，确定同时促进安全和民主成果的方法。本研究将探讨布基纳法索、尼日尔和尼日利亚的民主化、安全和精英政治是如何交叉的：这三个国家跨越了两个冲突地区（萨赫勒中部和乍得湖盆地），呈现出截然不同的历史轨迹，但他们的安全和民主前景面临着类似的挑战。根据PI在该地区进行比较研究的经验，以及三位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）的当地知识和网络，我们将在这些国家进行定性研究，以调查民主化进程和制度，安全方法和精英政治生存策略的相互影响。以及这些发现对国内和国际决策者参与该地区事务的影响。该项目基于对政治家、民间社会活动家、军官、外交官和其他利益相关者的重要线人访谈，以及对媒体报道、政府沟通、立法和灰色文献的内容分析，将深入的案例研究与跨越语言鸿沟（法语和英语非洲）和冲突地区（乍得湖盆地和萨赫勒中部）的比较方法相结合。反过来，该项目的研究结果将有助于建立证据基础，为民间社会团体和国际合作伙伴在该地区的参与提供信息。基于PI和她的机构之间的现有联系，以及备受尊敬的机构，包括英国皇家联合服务研究所（RUSI）和西非的廷巴克图研究所，我们将不断与政策制定者和从业者接触-从国内和国际智囊团到英国的FCDO和欧盟的EEAS -以最大限度地发挥我们研究的影响。在她的导师Ed Stoddard博士的支持下，实施这个项目将使PI能够磨练她的领导技能，巩固她作为该领域专家的声誉。反过来，她将通过指导和量身定制的培训来支持研究人员的职业发展，并与每个主办机构的顾问：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）共同提供指导和培训。PI将在博士后研究人员的支持下，与入寺和廷巴克图研究所合作，制作一本书手稿，一篇针对非洲安全的期刊文章，以及两份政策简报。在PI的指导和贡献下，该项目还将产生三篇由博士后研究员撰写的额外文章。每个机构的顾问也将有机会为项目的产出作出贡献。研究结果还将通过汇集学者和政策制定者的讲习班和网络研讨会以及在英国和非洲举行的主要会议来传播。总的来说，这项研究将使学者、分析人士和政策制定者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.