Terrorrism and Conditions for Human Rights in Counter-Terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

This doctoral dissertation explores the conditions or set of conditions necessary and or sufficient to facilitate or impede human rights when governments respond to terrorism in sub-Saharan Africa.

Relying on a theoretical model that isolates significant macrosocial conditions suggested by theory (liberal democratic and constructivist theories) and extant empirical studies, the dissertation employs a research design that combines Comparative Qualitative Analysis – QCA, specifically Crisp Set Comparative Qualitative Analysis (csQCA) and an in depth case study of Mali to test five hypotheses in the form of necessary conditions that facilitate human rights, and uncover additional important factors unique in the structure of African societies.

It is established that government preference for human over state security (here measured by more government expenditure on welfare than on military) and poor economic and administrative capacity (here measured by the absence of transparency and accountability coupled with a high level of corruption in the public sector) are necessary conditions that facilitate and impede human rights respectively in counterterrorist policies in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, it is established that ancient African social norms, cultural practices and traditions that promote justice and human rights passed down the generations through socialization play an important role in facilitating human rights in counterterrorist policies in sub-Saharan Africa.