The rise of Yoruba nationalism: Exclusion, identity and youth in Nigeria

Completed

Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Other oil and gas)
Not Energy Related
Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research(Environmental, social and economic impacts)

Basic and strategic applied research

SOCIAL SCIENCES (Sociology)
SOCIAL SCIENCES (Development Studies)
AREA STUDIES (Middle Eastern and African Studies)

Not Cross-cutting
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Other sociological economical and environmental impact of energy)

Dr MI Nolte
School of History and Cultures
University of Birmingham

Standard

ESRC

01 September 2003

31 December 2005

28 months

£45,722

No relevance to Underpinning Sectors

West Midlands

ESRC Oil ESRC Oil

Dr MI Nolte, School of History and Cultures, University of Birmingham

Objectives not supplied

The research explores the violent political nationalism of the Yoruba ethnic group in Nigeria as a focal point if social and political exclusion which goes beyond the politicisation of ethnic cleavage. Drawing on a range of qualitative research methods, including library and archival research, fieldwork and in-depth interviews, the research investigates strategies od protest, competition and patronage. It analyses discourses of exclusion and identity among political and traditional nationalist leaders and their rank-and-file supporters among the disadvantaged urban youth. Through formal collaboration with relevant NGOs, the research will lay the foundations for more policy-oriented research at a later stage. The main research questions: What are the main forces shaping violence and ethnic discourse in Nigeria? Which constructions of Yoruba culture and identity are mobilised by different nationalist groups? What role is played by ethnic nationalism in the patrimonial state? How is youth constructed as a social and political category in postcolonial nationalist discourse in Nigeria? How are politics of political and social exclusion linked to the emergence of nationalist political identities? Follow-on question: In which way can future, more policy-oriented research on ethnic nationalism and conflict in Nigeria engage with Nigerian human rights and civil society organisations as well as international NGOs and donors?

03/11/11