The Horn of Africa hosts some of the world’s most fragile states and has been recurrently affected by political instability, including uprisings and violent conflict. Political strife in the Horn, which has endured for decades and features salient ethnic and religious dimensions, frequently pits states and parastatal actors against non-state players. In particular, the politicization and polarization based on identity factors have had a crucial role in the political strife and (re-)shaping of both intra- and inter-state conflicts that affect the sub-region. This makes the Horn of Africa a suitable area for researching political and conflict dynamics through the multiple relationships between a range of actors, especially in contexts where political dialogue and peaceful settlement have limited space and subaltern identities are politically marginalized or not recognized. As such, the Horn of Africa offers the most relevant setting for understanding the perpetuation and current trends of political strife. The project focuses on the cases of Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia (Somaliland) which are central to the understanding of the nexus between politics and violence in the Horn of Africa. Engaging in interdisciplinary dialogue between political science and anthropology, it seeks to produce new, generalizable, knowledge on the dynamics of political violence in the three states and internationally within and beyond the Horn of Africa. This contributes to a more general understanding of the intertwined internal and external aspects of politics and violence in Africa and elsewhere.

The exploratory research project focuses on relationships between state and societal actors where political violence manifests itself, and how these relations are affected by both domestic historical and cultural dynamics and geopolitical factors. In particular, the research scrutinizes the relationship between government-linked actors and societal players with regional identities (e.g. opposition organizations, such as parties, insurgent groups, and popular movements) in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia (Somaliland). It seeks to understand current trends of politics and violence through an emphasis on the origins and evolution of resistance. These trends have become very evident in the ongoing conflicts in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia, which provide an excellent opportunity to learn how political dynamics evolve and how violence could be mitigated. More specifically, based on previously established observations that suggest that religion has emerged to complement ethnic nationalism as an identity-based radicalizing and mobilizing force, the project focuses on investigating its role in the nexus between politics and violence. The observed patterns of violence are significantly manifested in the Horn of Africa, which also provides a well-suited research area for case-study approaches and to development of analytical tools applicable for analyzing and understanding political violence more generally.

The project’s primary objective is to gather and analyze fresh data on current processes and manifestations of political violence and to specifically understand the role of internal and external actors and forces, including identity politics, popular discontent, and security interests. This is particularly useful for gaining an improved understanding of present patterns and dynamics of violence and taking up measures to constructively address them. The project, therefore, aims to provide useful analysis for capacitating conflict resolution and building scenarios about the possible future trajectories of politics, political violence, and geopolitical considerations. The project paves the way for future interdisciplinary research and training initiatives for experts in international politics and security issues.

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