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Well-Oiled Protest: Adding Fuel to Political Conflicts in Niger

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 August 2018

Jannik Schritt
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Abstract:

The article focuses on disputes and protests around the inauguration of Niger’s first oil refinery in late 2011. Drawing on theory of the resource curse and the literature on African politics and the state, it analyzes the transformative potential of oil in Nigerien politics and society, showing how oil was received in an already well-structured political arena, sparking political conflicts rather than conflicts about oil. With the start of oil production adding fuel to these conflicts, it argues that in oil’s immediate presence, historically sedimented politics were played out through the idiom of oil, through which not only is oil-age Niger made a social and political reality, but political difference is also reconstructed, and patterns of domination are reinforced.

Résumé:

Cet article se penche sur les conflits et les protestations à propos de l’inauguration de la première raffinerie de pétrole du Niger à la fin de 2011. Il s’inspire de la théorie de la malédiction des ressources et de la littérature sur la politique et l’état en Afrique et analyse ainsi le potentiel de transformation généré par le pétrole dans la politique et la société nigérienne, montrant comment le pétrole a été accueilli sur une scène politique déjà bien structurée et engendrant avant tout des conflits politiques plutôt que des conflits à propos du pétrole. Avec le début de la production pétrolière qui a ajouté du carburant à ces conflits, nous faisons valoir qu’avec la proximité directe du pétrole, des politiques historiquement sédimentées se sont réglées à travers l’idiome du pétrole. Non seulement le Niger de l’ère du pétrole devient une réalité sociale et politique définie à travers cet idiome, mais la différence politique est également reconstruite, et les schémas de domination sont renforcés.

Resumo:

Este artigo trata das disputas e dos protestos em torno da abertura da primeira refinaria de petróleo do Níger, no final de 2011. Partindo da teoria da maldição deste recurso natural e da literatura sobre a política e o Estado africanos, analisa-se o potencial do petróleo enquanto fator de transformação política e social do Níger; tendo o petróleo sido recebido num cenário político que já se encontrava bem estruturado, os conflitos que então se geraram foram mais de caráter político do que especificamente sobre o petróleo. Segundo o autor, o arranque da produção de petróleo exacerbou estes conflitos políticos e, perante a disponibilidade imediata de petróleo, a política – historicamente sedimentada – passou a ser discutida no idioma do petróleo. Através deste idioma, ergueu-se no Níger a realidade social e política da era do petróleo, mas também se reconstruiu a divergência política e se reforçaram os padrões de dominação.

Keywords

OilAfrican statepoliticsresource curseNiger
Type
Article
Information
African Studies Review , Volume 62 , Issue 2 , June 2019 , pp. 49 - 71
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 2018 

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