The Sub-National Tribalism Index: Investigating Connections between Tribalism and Anti-State Violence in the Nigerian State

• In Event: 172 - Section on Peace, War and Social Conflict Roundtables (one-hour). Table 01. Peace and Peacebuilding
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 03. Understanding Ethnic and Religious Conflict

Abstract

We engage with the ways in which a disassociation between the widespread mores of a society and the expressed form of their political system may work to destabilize a region and increase violence at the regional level. We question how social facts associated with the tribal kinship networks may be associated with weak national governments, citizens unengaged with the democratic process, and the proliferation of anti-state violence. Using Nigeria as a case study and building on existing literature, we develop a measure of tribalism at the sub-state level. Using this measure as an independent variable, we establish that tribalism is a significant predictor of distrust of the national government, non-voting, and support of anti-state actors. These findings lend support to existing theory in the areas of state failure and tribal culture.

Authors

• Natalie Marie Delia Deckard, Emory University

• David Jacobson, University of South Florida