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(Re)negotiating State Authority: How Hinterland Protests against Global Capital Impact the Mediating Role of Traditional Rulers in Postcolonial Sierra Leone

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 February 2024

Mohamed Sesay Open the ORCID record for Mohamed Sesay [Opens in a new window]
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Abstract

Sesay draws from three hinterland protests against multinational corporations in the mining and agricultural sectors to examine how global capital influences central/local politics in postcolonial Sierra Leone. Focusing specifically on the mediating role of traditional rulers—a strong legacy of British colonial indirect rule—Sesay argues that hinterland protests not only enable the relative autonomy of rural citizens to (re)negotiate with the state outside existing political arrangements but also challenge the broker authority of these rulers in center/peripheral relations. While some protests form new alignment of interest with traditional rulers, others allow rural citizens to bypass their chiefs to summon the attention of central authorities. In either of these processes, the local constituents question the position of chiefs in the indirect governance system and shape the governing strategies adopted by the central government to rule over the hinterland.

Résumé

Résumé

Sesay s’appuie sur trois manifestations de l’arrière-pays contre des sociétés multinationales dans les secteurs miniers et agricoles pour examiner comment le capital mondial influence la politique centrale et locale en Sierra Leone postcoloniale. En se concentrant spécifiquement sur le rôle de médiateur des dirigeants traditionnels – un héritage important de l’administration indirect colonial britannique – Sesay soutient que les protestations dans l’arrière-pays permettent non seulement l’autonomie relative des citoyens ruraux pour (re)négocier avec l’État en dehors des arrangements politiques existants, mais aussi de contester l’autorité de ces dirigeants dans les relations centre/périphérie. Alors que certaines manifestations forment un nouvel alignement d’intérêts avec les chefs traditionnels, d’autres permettent aux citoyens ruraux de contourner leurs chefs pour attirer l’attention des autorités centrales. Dans l’un ou l’autre de ces processus, les électeurs locaux remettent en question la position des chefs dans le système de gouvernance indirecte et façonnent les stratégies de gouvernance adoptées par le gouvernement central pour régner sur l’arrière-pays.

Resumo

Resumo

Partindo de três protestos no interior do país contra empresas multinacionais dos setores agrícola e mineiro, Sesay analisa o modo como o capital mundial influencia a política central/local na Serra Leoa pós-colonial. Centrando-se especificamente no papel mediador desempenhado pelos chefes tradicionais – uma forte herança do domínio colonial indireto britânico – Sesay defende que os protestos no interior do país não só permitem a existência de uma certa autonomia dos cidadãos rurais para (re)negociarem com o Estado fora dos limites dos acordos políticos vigentes, como também que estes desafiem a autoridade intermediadora desses chefes nas relações centro-periferia. Enquanto alguns dos protestos criam novos alinhamentos de interesses com os chefes tradicionais, outros permitem que os cidadãos rurais contornem o poder dos seus chefes, de modo a chamarem a atenção das autoridades centrais. Em ambos estes processos, os eleitores locais questionam a posição dos chefes no sistema de governação indireta e contribuem para moldar as estratégias governativas que o governo central adota para administrar o interior do território.

Keywords

global capitalhinterland protestcentral/local politicschieftaincySierra Leone
Type
Article
Information
African Studies Review , Volume 67 , Issue 1 , March 2024 , pp. 107 - 128
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of African Studies Association

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