Description
This paper considers the fragile states of the Sahel as an argument in the debate on the decline of nation states in the practice of international relations, and assesses the consequences of this decline on the analysis of the future of international studies. More specifically, our paper is based on the case of Mali, a failed state located in West Africa and the Sahel.
In fact, the issue of the decline of nation-state in international relations is increasingly emerging in the literature dealing with the future of international studies.
This literature, far from being recent, has brought to the surface threats which destabilise nation-states at both the infra-national level and the supra-national level and upset the basis of nation-state.
In this regard, we would like to make a particular reference to Mali. It is a very edifying case because the political and social situation of Mali is particular and fragile.
In fact, from armed rebellions to terrorism and ethnic conflicts, Mali has been plugging in extreme violence for almost half a century.
This violence is based on long-standing differences between the country's ethnic majority (the Bambara people) and an ethnic minority fighting for secession: the Tuareg people.
Note however that for a long time, the Tuareg people remained absent from the corridors of political and economic power. Furthermore, economically, the north of Mali, inhabited by the Tuareg, is a desert region, while Southern and Centre of Mali are economically safe, prosperous regions and enjoy a safe and blooming economy.
As they find themselves marginalized, Tuareg leaders rebelled against Malian governments, though their modus operandi was not radical. From 1960s until 1990s, they required self-governance for the northern regions. However, Malian governments were not willing to negotiate.
The refusal by the government to address their needs increased frustrations. By the 1990s, the Cold War ended. However, in Mali, it did not mean the “End of History “. The United States retreated from Africa. Therefore, more security threats emerged in Africa: among which terrorism. In its chaos and poverty, northern Mali was going to become a home base for terrorism. Free at last, Tuareg rebels radicalized themselves with intensified attacks.
In 2013, following the military coup in Mali, they launched a new military attack and took control of Northern Mali and have spread attacks all over Mali since 2014.
But, eradicating conflicts is a very burdensome task for Malian government who still have major challenges to contend with: the weakness of the rule of law and democratic institutions, corruption, the threat of a resurgence of extremists, poverty and social deprivation so much so that one could think obsolescence of Mali is planned.
In addition to these internal threats, Mali is challenged at the external level by digital tools (internet). In fact, while once Malians could not express their claims, today, internet, Facebook, twitter, Whatsapp, etc., allow them to openly challenge their governments and make allegiance to these modern tools of communication which escape the Malian Government and contribute to the further weakening of Mali.
Thus, I propose a study with an added value: an interdisciplinary approach (using both transnational and Realism theories of international relations) to assess the consequences of these threats on the future of Mali as a nation-state.
More specifically, my paper aims to answer the following two research questions: (1) Is obsolescence of Mali planned given the importance of threats caused by almost half a century of tuareg rebellions, terrorism, ethnic conflicts and the digital age ? (2) How can a fragile State like Mali contribute to the debate on the decline of nation-state on the analyse of the future of international studies?
