Suchergebnisse

A common assumption in political studies is that the fundamental artificiality of current African boundaries -- that were inherited from the colonial period -- is a main reason of their intrinsic weakness. This assumption needs to be reviewed and reassessed critically. A fair number of African borders have histories much more complex than the simple results of European colonial enterprise. On the contrary, the delimitations of colonial borders were very often deeply influenced by dynamics which developed on the spot and relied to aspects of inter-African relations that went back in time. All this makes these borders well recognizable and recognized by the people they are meant to separate. The current boundary between Ghana and the Ivory Coast was established during the two final decades of the 19th century as a frontier between British and French territories. However, when considered in a long term historical perspective, the process which led to the definition of colonial territorial jurisdictions was but a follow up of two centuries of competition for hegemony by different local power centers. However the definition of the colonial border marked a turning point. It was a lengthy process which lasted several years and was negotiated on the ground in a context of underlying or open conflict between African actors. This type of African agency interacted with vested interests and strategies of the European powers, contributing to a large extent to consolidate a new balance, whose most visible seal was the colonial border which was finally agreed upon. In the process fundamental identities were re-interpreted and re-defined, setting the background for the 20th century social and political landscape of the region. International boundaries are a crucial marker of post-colonial African citizenship, which was created by independence as a territorial citizenship. Current trends in minimizing the role of international boundaries vis-a-vis other forms of internal and regional boundaries can have dangerous implications in putting at stake formal and substantial rights. Adapted from the source document.