Côte d'Ivoire: Socio-political Crises, 'Ivoirité' and the Course of History

This paper examines factors contributing to the current sociopolitical crisis in the Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) following a long period of relative stability, & attempts to assess long-term implications of this situation for the notion of Ivoirite or "Ivorianness" as an ideology...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:African sociological review 2003-01, Vol.7 (2), p.11-28
Main Author: Akindes, Francis
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Citizenship
Civil War
Countries
Coup detat
Coups d'Etat
Economic Crises
Economic justification
Ethnic groups
Ethnic identity
Ethnonationalism
Ivory Coast
Muslims
National Identity
Nationalism
Political identity
Political integration
Political Violence
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Summary:This paper examines factors contributing to the current sociopolitical crisis in the Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) following a long period of relative stability, & attempts to assess long-term implications of this situation for the notion of Ivoirite or "Ivorianness" as an ideology & ethnonationalist identity. Historical circumstances fostering the social construction of the rhetoric of Ivorianness as a state doctrine during the regime of President Henri Konan Bedie & in the aftermath of the 1999 military coup are identified, along with the ideological, political, & economic justifications that helped earn it legitimacy. The notion that Ivorianness represents a reaction to the current crisis is explored, highlighting the role of economic factors, primarily the "postcolonial compromises" made by Felix Houphouet Boigny. It is argued that his shift to the principle of "economic openness" & "hyperglobalization" resulted in a crisis in the concept of citizenship & meaning of being Ivorian. The analysis demonstrates the complex interrelationship between political & economic issues in the Ivory Coast. 46 References. K. Hyatt Stewart
ISSN:1027-4332