Subnationalism in Africa: Ethnicity, Alliances, and Politics

The trend toward subnationalist autonomy—and away from the development of singular, state-centric political systems based on the Western model—is one of the most striking phenomena in Africa today. Joshua Forrest analyzes the expansion of ethnic subnationalist movements in the postcolonial period, the reasons behind their growth, and their implications for African politics. Forrest ranges across the continent to explore a variety of subnational movements. Without minimizing the crucial role played by manipulative ethnic elites in fomenting subnationalist movements, he points to the intercommunity and interethnic alliances that underpin the most successful movements. This trend, he suggests, may presage a gradual reconfiguration of the political map of Africa in a way that is more reflective of indigenously rooted political culture, a culture that embodies a distinctive respect for local and territorial autonomy.