Doctoral Dissertation Research in Political Science: The Struggle over Citizenship in Liberia and Côte D'Ivoire.

Yale University, New Haven CT

Investigators

Abstract

Across Africa, conflict over citizenship leads to disputes, riots, violence, and in some cases civil war. At the center of these disputes is the relationship between indigenous groups, who make claims to land, and settlers, who are stigmatized as foreigners by indigenous groups. This research asks: why does conflict between indigenous groups and settlers occur in some localities and not in others? In contrast to research that suggests that economic shocks, cultural and religious differences, or levels of migration explain conflict between settlers and indigenous groups, this project explores the political implications of local institutions. In particular, what role do local property rights regimes play in shaping conflicts over citizenship between settlers and indigenous groups in Africa? This project will employ qualitative and quantitative data from the border region of Liberia and Côte D'Ivoire to explore instances of both de jure and de facto citizenship and formal and customary rights regimes. It will focus on the ways that institutional reforms change the balance of local power, the way the social groups make demands on the state, and how this affects levels of conflict. The research will also assess the validity of other theories explaining conflict over citizenship, including religious cleavages and economic shocks. This project contributes to the emerging literature on the micro-foundations of conflict in order to understand the logic of ongoing disputes and to develop ways to solve and to prevent violence in the future. It also builds on literature on citizenship and the idea that citizenship rights at the national level may be different than those at the local level. In addition, the focus on property rights institutions contributes to an emerging body of work on informal institutions, vastly important, but notoriously difficult to analyze systematically. Finally, this research contributes to a debate in economics and anthropology on the costs and benefits of statutory and customary land tenure institutions. By exploring the political effects of land tenure regimes, this research transforms economic debates that do not take into account the impact of land tenure on social equity. In the Liberian-Ivorian border region, reforms to property rights regimes, as well as variation in the levels of religious differences and economic hardship provide an opportunity to explain why conflict is high in some communities and not in others. Appointed in 2009, the Liberian Land Commission is designing an overarching property rights reform that promises a rights-based approach. Liberia's recovery from 14 years of civil war and its natural resources increase the stakes of reform. In contrast, in Côte D'Ivoire, the 1998 Land Reform enshrined customary practice in law while promoting the use of deeds and making it illegal for non-Ivorian citizens to own rural land. Enforcement is not universal as the state recovers from political crisis and deals with the return of Internally Displaced People (IDPs). In both countries, citizenship recognized by the central government does not fully determine access to local rights, which, depending on the location, can vary according to ethnic identity. This research aims to have a broader impact on policy debates focusing on post-conflict transition and development. By exploring the effects of property rights reform, this research contributes to the development of policies that promote good governance, the rule of law and transitional justice. Collaborative work with local and international NGOs will build the research capacity of Liberian and Ivorian civil society and provide a means of disseminating this study to not only NGOs and governments, but the citizens most directly affected by conflict.