I am hoping to research why the Touaregs in Mali feel the need to rebel against the Malian government. I would specifically like to focus on the MNLA and how they started as well as recent groups that claim they’re going to liberate Azawad.I would also like a counterargument presented that shows the Touareg communities opinion on these groups and if they’re actually liberating them. Please discuss possible solutions or ways that this problem could be remedied.
For my topic surrounding violence in the Sahel region, I plan to focus on the conflicts between Mali specifically. This conflict is not just a stand-alone situation; it involves the Mali government and its troops. This involves tribalism, racial differences, and territorial disputes, Touaregs, an Amazigh nomad tribe that resides in Mali, Niger, Algeria and some parts of Libya have created rebel groups seeking independence for their region known as Azawad. This state was only present in 2012-2013 and ever since then, they have been fighting to make it recognized throughout the world.
A source I found for this was present on Google Scholar and it is called “Tribal Engagement Strategies in the Islamic Emirate of Azawad”. It’s specifically interesting because it narrows down the topic that I wanted to hone in on; tribalism within these conflicts. Another article that I found was also on Google Scholar and it’s called “Azawad: A Parastate Between Nomads and Mujahhidins?” I think this topic is interesting because it dives into the relevancy and legitimacy of the statehood of Azawad and how that may turn out to look like regarding the violence and fighting that has to come with it.
I can ensure accuracy in these works by doing a fact check and seeing the credentials of those writing the articles. As Wisker says, locating information and being accurate in labeling and recording information is extremely important. Another important thing is checking up on the limitations of the information you are trying to retrieve. The information is reliable since these are relevant dates (nothing dating more than 5 years), and they are peer-reviewed by multiple people ensuring the accuracy of the information. They are in APA format, which means they feature an Abstract which is something that is well planned in the sense that it shows the reader/ researcher what will be present in the paper or presentation.
The ‘Africa Commons’ was an extremely helpful research tool that was shown to us because my topic is only focusing on the African continent. I thought it was neat that you can even do advanced settings for the countries/ regions in Africa. That was very perfect for my project because often, news coverage on the Sahel is widely niche. A simple Google search will not help me reach my goal on this assignment because this issue or conflict is very complex. Finding sources that don’t get as much notice is very important because it might offer some insight into parts of an issue that remain undiscovered.
