State Fragility, State Formation, and Human Security in Nigeria: Introduction, Concepts, and Questions

Abstract

This book is an outcome of the conference “‘(Un)civil Society’? State Failure and the Contradictions of Self-Organisation in Nigeria,” May 14–17, 2005, sponsored by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and organized by Axel Harneit-Sievers. The conference focused on the conceptual and practical meanings of “uncivil society,” and many of the papers presented considered the extent to which Nigeria was a failed state. But this book presents the argument that while those conceptual explorations remain valid for scholars of Nigerian and African politics, it is also important to more deliberately interrogate and contextualize “uncivil society” and state failure, rather than accept them at face value. Buku ini merupakan hasil dari konferensi “‘(Un)civil Society’? State Failure and the Contradictions of Self-Organisation in Nigeria,” 14-17 Mei 2005, disponsori oleh Heinrich Böll Foundation dan diorganisir oleh Axel Harneit-Sievers. Konferensi tersebut berfokus pada makna konseptual dan praktis dari "masyarakat tidak beradab," dan banyak makalah yang dipresentasikan mempertimbangkan sejauh mana Nigeria adalah negara gagal. Tetapi buku ini menyajikan argumen bahwa sementara eksplorasi konseptual tersebut tetap berlaku bagi para sarjana politik Nigeria dan Afrika, penting juga untuk lebih sengaja menginterogasi dan mengontekstualisasikan “masyarakat tidak beradab” dan kegagalan negara, daripada menerimanya begitu saja.