Somalia was one of the first states to crumble in the post-cold war era. This study seeks to explain the destruction of the Somali state from a security perspective, arguing that a plethora of factors including the political economy of class and regional dynamics underscored the dissolution of the Somali nation-state and that the emergence of political Islam to fill the political vacuum configured the pattern of security challenges facing the country. In doing so, this study utilizes the qualitative research design premised on the interview technique as the main data collection method.
What is clear from this study is that to explain the destruction of Somalia and its security abyss we must probe deeper to uncover the points of fracture of the Somali social order, as well as external factors obscured by an emphasis on clan tensions by media and scholarly reportage. Hence, explaining Somalia’s dissolution and its attendant security challenges is a contribution to the ongoing project of theorizing the global disintegration of nation-states in the post-Cold War era. All things considered, it is hoped that this study will provide professionals and scholars insights on the challenges of African security in the Twenty-First century.
Table of Contents
1. CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Background of the Study
1.3 Problem Statement
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Objectives of the Study
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Scope and Limitations of the Study
1.8 Research Method
1.8.1 Population and Sampling Method
1.8.2 Data Analysis
1.9 Definition of key terms
1.10 Organization of the Study
2. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
2.2 A Review of Existing Studies on the Somali Crisis
3.3.1 UN and US Interventions in Somalia
3.3.2 The Somali Peace Process and the ETNG
3.3.3 The Somali Peace Process
3.3.4 The rise of United Islamic courts
3.3.5 The role of AMISON in Somalia
3.4 Chapter Summary
4. CHAPTER FOUR: INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL SECURITY DYNAMICS OF THE SOMALI CRISIS SINCE 1991
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Internal Security Challenges in Somalia
4.2.1 Colonial legacies
4.2.2 Political miscalculations and misjudgments by Somali and External actors
4.2.3 The ethnic factor and institutional collapse
4.2.4 Warlordism
4.2.5 Sub-Regional Interventions
4.2.6 The War on Terror and the Somali Security situation
4.2.7 Somali Piracy
4.2.8 Crisis in leadership and Failure of the Reconstruction Project
4.3 Chapter Summary
5. CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Findings Summary
5.3 Recommendations
5.4 Concluding Observations
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this dissertation is to examine the national security dynamics in Somalia since 1991 following the collapse of the Siad Barre administration. The study investigates how a complex interplay of historical, internal, and external factors has contributed to the persistent state failure and security challenges in the country.
- The impact of state collapse and the role of clan-based competition.
- An analysis of historical colonial legacies on current institutional structures.
- The efficacy and consequences of international and regional military interventions.
- The rise of political Islam, piracy, and the challenges of the "War on Terror" in the Somali context.
- The failure of externally driven state-building and reconstruction projects.
Excerpt from the Book
1.2 Background of the Study
Somalia state is geographically located in eastern Africa with Ethiopia located at the west of Somalia, Djibouti to the northwest, and Kenya to the southwest, Yemen to the north and the Indian Ocean to the east. Furthermore Somalia is strategically located in the Horn Africa with the largest coastline among all African countries. According to the World Fact Book (2014) the Somali population estimated about 10 million and has been without an effective functioning government for more than two decades since the collapse of Mohamed Siad Barre administration of the country in early 1991. Once heralded as the one true nation-state in Africa with an ethnically homogeneous society.
Somalia since the 1990s has experienced brutal, politically induced famine and genocidal violence, and the flight of millions of refugees. In a way, the current maze of state collapse, security crisis, clan tensions and political violence as depicted in popular media contradicts the model of ethnic homogeneity or homogeneous society as portrayed in colonial ethnography by scholars like Lewis (1961) as cited in Besteman (1996). What has caused the fracturing of the Somali state and society? To explain the collapse of the Somali state and the attendant security problems, we must probe deeper to uncover the sources of fracture of the Somali social order, manifested in the patterning of violence and killings since 1991.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the study, outlines the research problem, objectives, and significance, and provides a clear description of the qualitative research methodology employed.
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW: This chapter provides an overview of existing academic literature on crisis management, state failure theories, and the Somali crisis, situating the current research within the broader scholarly discourse.
CHAPTER FOUR: INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL SECURITY DYNAMICS OF THE SOMALI CRISIS SINCE 1991: This chapter analyzes the primary internal challenges, such as clan conflict and warlordism, alongside external factors, including foreign military interventions and regional proxy wars, that have shaped the security landscape in post-1991 Somalia.
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: This chapter synthesizes the main findings of the research and offers policy-oriented recommendations aimed at addressing the systemic challenges of state building and security in Somalia.
Keywords
Somalia, National Security, Failed State, Warlordism, Clan Tensions, State Collapse, Political Islam, Humanitarian Intervention, External Actors, Piracy, State Building, Nation-building, Post-Cold War, Civil War, Security Challenges
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this dissertation?
The dissertation focuses on the national security dynamics in Somalia since the collapse of the Siad Barre regime in 1991, investigating the historical and modern causes of the state's prolonged failure.
What are the primary factors contributing to Somalia's insecurity?
The study highlights a combination of factors, including internal elite competition along clan lines, institutional collapse, the proliferation of warlordism, and the unintended consequences of external regional and international interventions.
What is the core research question?
The central question is: what caused the dissolution of the Somali nation-state and what are the attendant security challenges facing the country?
Which research methodology is used?
The study employs a qualitative research design, primarily utilizing semi-structured interviews and a comprehensive review of secondary literature to gather and analyze data.
How is the "failed state" theory applied in this research?
The research uses the failed state theory as the primary analytical tool to interpret the collapse of central authority and the resulting inability to provide basic services and maintain domestic order.
What are the key themes explored in the main body?
The work covers themes such as colonial legacies, the role of political Islam (including al-Shabaab), the impact of the "War on Terror," the emergence of piracy, and the difficulties associated with externally-driven peace processes.
How does the author view the role of international interventions?
The author argues that many external interventions have been misguided or counter-productive, often failing to address the domestic realities of Somali society and inadvertently fueling local resentment.
What does the study suggest for future state-building?
The study suggests that sustainable state building requires homegrown, context-specific solutions that move away from top-down imposition and instead focus on a "mediated state" approach that integrates local governance structures.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Mr. Mohamud Mohamed Salad (Autor:in), 2016, National Security Dynamics in Somalia in the post-Siad Barre era, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/367480
