An analysis of the 2007 post-election violence in Kenya, employing the framework of the Copenhagen theory of Securitization to explain the causes of conflict. There is a focus on the three issues of youth, land and unemployment, as well as ethnicity and "otherness".
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Background
3. The Copenhagen School of Securitization
4. The Neoliberal Interpretation
5. The Generational Conflict
6. Economic Factors: Land and Unemployment
7. The Ethnic Dimension: Identity and Outsiders
8. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper aims to analyze the root causes of the post-election violence in Kenya in 2007 and 2008 by applying the theoretical framework of securitization from the Copenhagen School. The study investigates how various social, economic, and identity-based factors were constructed into security threats that fueled the conflict.
- The role of securitization and Constructivism in understanding conflict dynamics.
- Generational struggles and the neglect of youth aspirations as drivers of unrest.
- The impact of economic factors, specifically land disputes and unemployment, on political instability.
- The influence of ethnically salient discourse and the construction of "the other" as a security threat.
- A critical comparison between Neoliberal institutional explanations and Constructivist frameworks.
Excerpt from the Book
The Ethnic Dimension: Identity and Outsiders
Having discussed generational issues and the question of land and unemployment, the main focus of this paper will turn to what is taken as a decisive feature of the conflict, which is, however, not to be separated from the two points analyzed above. Nevertheless, for analytical purposes, it is worth discussing separately. There are roughly 42 different ethnic groups in Kenya (Cussac, 2009 [a]: 39). However, the presence of a tribal social structure need not automatically lead to situations of ethnic conflict such as witnessed in the 2007 elections. Zambia has several tribes as well but has had no major incidences of tribal conflict. Yet, with regard to Kenya, Mutahi notes that the “ethnic character of Kenya’s politics has had a profound effect on events such that those that have a political nature seem to be more open to ethnically coded readings” (2009: 158).
Thus, in Kenya politics and ethnicity seem to be closely intertwined. What appears to be fairly certain is that criminal activity in urban areas after the elections was ethnically motivated (Calas, 2009: 165). Thus, gangs used the alleged electoral fraud as an inducement to engage in criminal activity. In the Central Province, ethnically targeted revenge acts took place after attacks on the Kikuyu population, which were to some extent instigated by Kikuyu politicians (Ibid: 175). What is more, the statement of the Kikuyu woman quoted at the beginning of this paper indicates that some degree of conscious ethnic targeting and subsequent defense mechanism seemed to be taking place.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the post-election crisis in Kenya and outlines the paper's goal to apply the Copenhagen School's securitization framework to explain the violence.
2. Background: This section provides a historical overview of the 2007 election process, the resulting disputed victory of Mwai Kibaki, and the immediate eruption of violence across various Kenyan regions.
3. The Copenhagen School of Securitization: This chapter defines the theoretical framework, emphasizing how discourse and the social construction of security threats create conflict.
4. The Neoliberal Interpretation: This section critiques the Kenyan institutional landscape, focusing on electoral commission failures and the influence of a fragile party system.
5. The Generational Conflict: This chapter explores how feelings of political exclusion and crushed hopes among the younger generation contributed to the intensity of the riots.
6. Economic Factors: Land and Unemployment: This chapter examines land grabbing and high unemployment as significant catalysts for conflict, particularly in the Rift Valley and Kibera.
7. The Ethnic Dimension: Identity and Outsiders: This section analyzes how ethnic identity and the demonization of "the other" were utilized as tools to mobilize political violence.
8. Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes the findings, arguing that securitization provides a superior lens for understanding how perceived threats escalate identity-based conflicts.
Keywords
Kenya, Securitization, Copenhagen School, Constructivism, Post-election violence, Ethnicity, Generational conflict, Land disputes, Unemployment, Identity construction, Neoliberalism, Political crisis, Social discourse, Autochthony, Electoral fraud.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this paper?
The paper examines the causes of the violent unrest in Kenya following the 2007 general elections, specifically through the lens of political science and security studies.
What are the central themes discussed?
The core themes include the role of the Copenhagen School of securitization, the impact of generational divides, economic grievances related to land, and the escalation of ethnic identity politics.
What is the main objective or research question?
The main objective is to determine how specific societal issues were constructed into existential security threats that led to widespread violence, moving beyond conventional material-power analyses.
Which scientific method is employed?
The paper utilizes a Constructivist research approach, applying the securitization theory of the Copenhagen School to interpret the crisis.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body systematically analyzes institutional weaknesses, the generational struggle, economic disparities, and the discourse-driven ethnic polarization that defined the post-election period.
Which keywords characterize the work?
The work is characterized by terms such as securitization, identity, ethnic conflict, land disputes, and political constructivism.
How does the author view the role of the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK)?
The author views the ECK as an institutional failure that lacked independence, thereby acting as a primary trigger for the post-election instability by undermining the fairness of the results.
What role did the concept of 'Autochthony' play in the conflict?
Autochthony, or the belief that resources belong only to indigenous groups, was used as a political discourse to justify territorial claims and legitimize the recourse to violence against perceived 'outsiders'.
How did politicians influence the youth during the election?
The paper highlights that political parties, particularly the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), strategically incorporated disillusioned, unemployed youth into their campaigns, effectively using them as tools for political and ethnic mobilization.
- Quote paper
- Tim Pfefferle (Author), 2013, Copenhagen in Kenya: Explaining the 2007 General Election Violence, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/210278
