Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.A. Philosophy

A partir du milieu des années 1990, l’Union européenne (UE) s’est progressivement affirmée comme l’un des principaux partenaires des organisations régionales africaines en matière de paix et de sécurité. Des pratiques de soutien aux capacités africaines de maintien de la paix notamment se sont développées au niveau européen avec la création d’instruments dédiés et l’engagement de moyens financiers de plus d’1,1 Md€. Ces pratiques relèvent de ce que l’on appelle communément de la coopération militaire, mais elles sont apparues bien avant que ce domaine d’activité soit explicitement évoqué dans les traités. Elles ont en outre la particularité de s’être institutionnalisées non seulement dans le cadre de la Politique européenne de sécurité et de défense (PSDC), mais également dans celui de la coopération européenne au développement alors que ce dernier se limite traditionnellement à des activités de nature civile. Elles fournissent à ce titre un objet privilégié pour étudier les processus d’institutionnalisation à l’oeuvre au sein de la politique étrangère européenne en dehors des modifications successives des traités et du découpage des politiques qu’ils consacrent. Ces processus d’institutionnalisation renvoient en effet ici aux processus par lesquels sont produites et transformées les règles formelles et informelles qui régissent les pratiques au sein d’un espace social donné (Stone Sweet et al. 2000 ;Fligstein, 2001).<p><p>L’émergence et l’institutionnalisation de ces pratiques au niveau européen ne peuvent être réduites à une logique fonctionnelle ni au produit de rapports de force interétatiques, institutionnels ou bureaucratiques. Leur compréhension nécessite de prendre en compte la différenciation des espaces sociaux (ou secteurs) qui structurent les jeux d’acteurs au sein de la politique étrangère européenne autour d’enjeux, de règles et de luttes spécifiques (Buchet de Neuilly, 2005a ;Mérand, 2008a). Le soutien de l’UE aux capacités africaines de maintien de la paix apparaît dans cette perspective comme le produit de luttes récurrentes au sein et à l’intersection des secteurs du développement et de la sécurité qui en ont partiellement reconfiguré les représentations dominantes et les règles établies. Ces luttes ont mobilisé des acteurs distincts en réaction à des chocs externes différents ou interprétés différemment selon les secteurs considérés. Elles ont également suscité des résistances spécifiques et abouti à des pratiques sectoriellement différenciées.<p><p>Au-delà de leur enjeu manifeste, celui du maintien de la paix en Afrique, l’émergence et l’institutionnalisation de ces pratiques révèlent ainsi certains des jeux sectoriels et intersectoriels qui se déploient au sein de la politique étrangère européenne autour de la définition des modalités légitimes d’usage et de contrôle de ses ressources. Au sein du secteur du développement, ces luttes se sont concentrées sur la légitimité d’utiliser des fonds dédiés à la coopération pour financer des activités de nature militaire. Au sein du secteur de lasécurité, elles ont porté sur l’agrégation au niveau européen de ressources diplomatiques et militaires nationales au détriment de modes d’action bilatéraux et d’arènes de coordination non spécifiquement européennes comme l’OTAN ou l’ONU. A l’intersection de ces deux secteurs enfin, elles se sont cristallisées autour du degré de contrôle des diplomates sur les ressources propres à l’aide au développement ou, en d’autres termes, autour du degré d’autonomie dont bénéficient les acteurs de développement européens vis-à-vis de la PESC/PSDC. / Doctorat en Sciences politiques et sociales / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The study utilizes regional integration theories like neo-functionalism, intergovernmentalism and new regionalism to analyse the formation, structure and transformation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It examines the role of ECOWAS as a sub-regional economic body and its transformation to a political and security body dealing with sub-regional conflict resolution. Though neo-functionalism is generally analysed in reference to European regional integration, the study attempts to draw some lessons from this theory. Also, new regionalism theory is utilized to examine the transformation of ECOWAS from a mere economic body to a security and political entity. Regionalism in West Africa was initially geared towards mere economic cooperation; however, the emergence of ECOWAS on the scene and its subsequent transformation witnessed several changes towards the path of security cooperation. Despite its involvement with the gigantic political and security related activities, a general evaluation of economic integration in West Africa depicts a low level of progress. The poor state of sub-regional economic integration shows that ECOWAS did not complete its regional economic integration agenda before diverting to other sectors of integration. ECOWAS peacekeeping operations have been the dominant topic in sub-regional conflict resolution in West Africa. However, other forms of conflict resolution, including mediation, negotiation, conciliation and arbitration have been severally utilized. Also, in some of the cases, peacekeeping operations have been deployed only after other peaceful efforts have failed. ECOWAS peacekeeping operations are divergent operations with different forms and mandates. Therefore, they are better analysed under the framework of peacekeeping, peace-enforcement and peace-making theories. ECOWAS peacekeeping operations have been a subject of debate by proponents of the principle of non-interference and those of the responsibility to protect. The expediency of military intervention for humanitarian reasons as well as the prevention of genocide, war crimes and catastrophic loss of lives has questioned the principle of non-interference and validated the principle of responsibility to protect. / Political Sciences / D. Litt. et Phil. (International Politics)

This thesis critiques liberal peacebuilding in Africa, with a particular focus on Sierra Leone. In particular, it examines the interface between the liberal peace and the “local”, the forms of agency that various local actors are expressing in response to the liberal peace and the hybrid forms of peace that are emerging in Sierra Leone. The thesis is built from an emerging critical literature that has argued for the need to shift from merely criticising liberal peacebuilding to examining local and contextual responses to it. Such contextualisation is crucial mainly because it helps us to develop a better understanding of the complex dynamics on the ground. The aim of this thesis is not to provide a new theory but to attempt to use the emerging insights from the critical scholarship through adopting the concept of hybridity in order to gain an understanding of the forms of peace that are emerging in post-conflict zones in Africa. This has not been comprehensively addressed in the context of post-conflict societies in Africa. Yet, much contemporary peace support operations are taking place in these societies that are characterised by multiple sources of legitimacy, authority and sovereignty. The thesis shows that in Sierra Leone local actors – from state elites to chiefs to civil society to ordinary people on the “margins of the state” – are not passive recipients of the liberal peace. It sheds new light on how hybridity can be created “from below” as citizens do not engage in outright resistance, but express various forms of agency including partial acceptance and internalisation of some elements of the liberal peace that they find useful to them; and use them to make demands for reforms against state elites who they do not trust and often criticise for their pre-occupation with political survival and consolidation of power. Further, it notes that in Sierra Leone a “post-liberal peace” that is locally-oriented might emerge on the “margins of the state” where culture, custom and tradition are predominant, and where neo-traditional civil society organisations act as vehicles for both the liberal peace and customary peacebuilding while allowing locals to lead the peacebuilding process. In Sierra Leone, there are also peace processes that are based on custom that are operating in parallel to the liberal peace, particularly in remote parts of the country.

The study utilizes regional integration theories like neo-functionalism, intergovernmentalism and new regionalism to analyse the formation, structure and transformation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It examines the role of ECOWAS as a sub-regional economic body and its transformation to a political and security body dealing with sub-regional conflict resolution. Though neo-functionalism is generally analysed in reference to European regional integration, the study attempts to draw some lessons from this theory. Also, new regionalism theory is utilized to examine the transformation of ECOWAS from a mere economic body to a security and political entity. Regionalism in West Africa was initially geared towards mere economic cooperation; however, the emergence of ECOWAS on the scene and its subsequent transformation witnessed several changes towards the path of security cooperation. Despite its involvement with the gigantic political and security related activities, a general evaluation of economic integration in West Africa depicts a low level of progress. The poor state of sub-regional economic integration shows that ECOWAS did not complete its regional economic integration agenda before diverting to other sectors of integration. ECOWAS peacekeeping operations have been the dominant topic in sub-regional conflict resolution in West Africa. However, other forms of conflict resolution, including mediation, negotiation, conciliation and arbitration have been severally utilized. Also, in some of the cases, peacekeeping operations have been deployed only after other peaceful efforts have failed. ECOWAS peacekeeping operations are divergent operations with different forms and mandates. Therefore, they are better analysed under the framework of peacekeeping, peace-enforcement and peace-making theories. ECOWAS peacekeeping operations have been a subject of debate by proponents of the principle of non-interference and those of the responsibility to protect. The expediency of military intervention for humanitarian reasons as well as the prevention of genocide, war crimes and catastrophic loss of lives has questioned the principle of non-interference and validated the principle of responsibility to protect. / Political Sciences / D. Litt. et Phil. (International Politics)