Understanding the reasons behind the continued spread of extremist groups in West Africa – a guest lecture as part of the educational platform ‘International Relations and Diplomacy: British Guest Lectures’
As part of the educational platform ‘International Relations and Diplomacy: British Guest Lectures’, organised by the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy at B. Havrylyshyn Institute of International Relations, a lecture will be held for students of the ‘International Relations’ programme on the topic Understanding the Enduring Expansion of Extremist Groups in West Africa.
The lecture will be held with the support of Uliana Koruts, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Research, and the International Relations Office.
Ed Stoddard will be speaking exclusively for our listeners. He is a Professor of International Security at the University of Portsmouth (UK), Visiting Professor at the College of Europe, Natolin (Warsaw) and Affiliated Fellow at the Scuola Sant'Anna Superiore, Pisa.
In recent years, the epicentre of violence associated with groups commonly labelled 'jihadist' has shifted to Africa, and especially to West Africa. In an increasingly geopolitically charged environment, these groups have not only withstood pressure from France, the EU, regional governments, and more recently Russian-linked mercenary organisations, but have continued to grow despite it.
This lecture explains how they have developed this resilient form of insurgency, and explores some of the challenges that state and state-linked actors continue to face in responding to them. Particular attention will be paid to current security developments in West Africa and their impact on international security and global stability.