Religious movements in the drylands: ethnicity, jihadism, and violent extremism

Dijk, J.W.M. van; Bruijn, M.E. de (2022)

Part of book or chapter of book

Over the past decades, extremist violence and jihadism/religious movements have become an important factor in the political and economic developments of drylands. This evolution has been attributed to a variety of underlying dynamics that are typical for drylands, including increasing scarcity of land and water due to climate change; a growing population; the poor performance and authoritarian character of states; increasing displacements and resettlements related to large-scale investments; and progressive marginalization and exclusion of specific social groups. In addition, increasing levels of conflict between population groups have provided a fertile ground for recruitment by armed groups for self-defence and religious purposes, often along ethnic lines, and also to secure access to natural resources. The chapter discusses the backgrounds of these movements and shows how a jihadist movement in the Sahel transformed from a terrorist movement into a rural insurgency.

• Drylands
• Pastoralism
• Sahel

• All authors: Dijk, J.W.M. van; Bruijn, M.E. de
• Editor(s): García, A.K.; Haller, T.; Dijk, H. van; Samimi, C.; Warner, J.
• Date: 2022-12-21
• Title of host publication: Drylands facing change: interventions, investments and identities
• Pages: 155 - 173
• ISBN (electronic): 9781003174486
• DOI: doi:10.4324/9781003174486-12
• Link: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-edit/10.4324/9781003174486-12/...