Why West African states do not go to war with each other
‘Pan-West Africanism’ and constructivist international relations
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12338151 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Abubakar Abubakar Usman (0000-0001-5776-6785, Asia Middle East Centre for Research & Dialogue (AMEC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, corresponding author), Hakeem Onapajo (0000-0002-7845-8586, Nile University of Nigeria) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 258-274 |
| Publication date | 2023-05-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | African Security Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1024-6029 • E-ISSN: 2154-0128 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10246029.2023.2193165 |
| OpenAlex | W4367680014 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 32 |
Realism and liberalism theories have had the most significant influence on the analyses for international relations. While the theories have proven useful in enriching understanding of complex situations at the regional level, both are insufficient in explaining the absence of violent inter-state conflicts in West Africa. This article argues that realism and liberalism cannot explain the absence of inter-state conflicts in West Africa. Instead, constructivism offers a more useful explanation by focusing on the values that define state relations. The principle of non-aggression and peaceful settlement of disputes appear more pronounced among the states and define their relations. Adherence to these norms has led to the emergence of a collective identity and a security community among the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) states. The common identity and non-violent approach of the states towards each other is founded on the values of ‘Pan-West Africanism’ that advocates West African unity, brotherliness and solidarity. Pan-West Africanism reinforces a consciousness of a commonly shared colonial history and the construction of a post-colonial victim identity and oppressed members of the international community that requires mutual cooperation devoid of violence
Colonialism · Constructivism (international relations · Epistemology · Identity (music · International relations · International relations theory · Liberalism · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Realism · Security community · Sociology · Solidarity · Sovereignty · State (computer science · Territorial integrity · Gender Studies · Global Peace and Security Dynamics · Global Political and Social Dynamics · International Development and Aid · Law
Africa’s Challenge to International Relations Theory
Liberal institutionalism
The Asean Security Community
Foreign Policy in a Constructed World
Sub-regional Security Challenge
Constructing a Security Community in Southeast Asia
Inequality and Theorizing in International Relations
Constructivism and Southeast Asian security
The Promise of Institutionalist Theory
Politics Among Nations
The future of European security
Liberia's Civil War
Achieving Cooperation under Anarchy
The Balance of Power in the Balance
Anarchy is what states make of it
Anarchy and the limits of cooperation
The Idea and the Reality of Collective Security
Explaining zones of negative peace in interstate relations
How regional norms shape regional organizations
Collective Identity Formation and the International State
The Politics and Diplomacy of Peacekeeping in West Africa
Coups and Conflict in West Africa, 1955-2004
| Citations per year | 1.5 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2024 - 2025 (2) |
| Highly cited | No |