Salafism and Political Order in Africa

Abstract

Violent Islamic extremism is affecting a growing number of countries in sub-Saharan Africa. In some, jihadi Salafi organizations have established home bases and turned into permanent security challengers. However, other countries have managed to prevent the formation or curb the spread of homegrown jihadi Salafi organizations. In this book, Sebastian Elischer provides a comparative analysis of how different West and East African states have engaged with fundamentalist Muslim groups between the 1950s and today. In doing so, he establishes a causal link between state-imposed organizational gatekeepers in the Islamic sphere and the absence of homegrown jihadi Salafism. Illustrating that the contemporary manifestation of violent Islamic extremism in sub-Saharan Africa is an outcome of strategic political decisions that are deeply embedded in countries' autocratic pasts, he challenges conventional notions of statehood on the African continent, and provides new insight into the evolving relationships between secular and religious authority.

Satisfaction With The Status Quo: Why has Religious Terrorism not yet Gained Ground In Chad?

“…I thus propose that studies of political or jihadi Salafism should take into account such tight ties with the regime as a major factor. As discussed earlier, scholars trying to explain the absence of jihadi violence have emphasized factors such as strong state regulation of religious institutions (Elischer 2021), and even argued that, as the state' s primary objective is political stability, it sees it necessary to suppress Salafi presence (Ladiba 2011). Conversely, state abuses, be it violence or corruption (Raineri 2020) -both of which are endemic in Chad -could provoke a lack of trust in state institutions or indirectly stoke jihadi violence (Buchanan-Clarke and Nkomo 2021).…”

“…Rather than focusing on the weakness of states or poverty as permitting the rise of Salafism, this new line of scholarship emphasises the abuses and overbearing presence of the state, which results in violent reactions (Raineri 2020). At the same time, states' capability to impose their authority on religious affairs in some Sahelian states can result in them being better equipped to contain jihadist expansion (Idrissa 2017;Elischer 2021). Particularly, some Sahelian states, such as Chad, possess both relatively strong institutions and a determination to keep religious actors at arm' s length from the political process; whereas in Niger, reformist Salafi movements have been gaining power both within and outside the formal political sphere (Sounaye 2009;Sounaye 2017;Elischer 2021).…”

“…At the same time, states' capability to impose their authority on religious affairs in some Sahelian states can result in them being better equipped to contain jihadist expansion (Idrissa 2017;Elischer 2021). Particularly, some Sahelian states, such as Chad, possess both relatively strong institutions and a determination to keep religious actors at arm' s length from the political process; whereas in Niger, reformist Salafi movements have been gaining power both within and outside the formal political sphere (Sounaye 2009;Sounaye 2017;Elischer 2021). While there is certainly some degree of external influence, it is important to note that key actors come from within Sahelian societies, and that their longing for moral renewal have gone hand in hand with their loss of confidence in state institutions (Sounaye 2017).…”

“…This article explores why jihadi Salafism has not (yet) found a foothold in Chad, in contrast to its neighbouring countries -even though it meets the various assumptions just outlined. Building on the work of Idrissa (2017) and Elischer (2021), I complement the discussion about the centrality of strong state control over religious institutions and cultural hegemony of Islam. I draw on an opinion survey conducted in five Chadian towns from 2015-2016, through which I identified groups within Chadian society according to their propensity for religiosity and their fundamentalist tendencies.…”