This paper by Jared Miller explores how negotiations over political authority play out in ‘real’ transactional politics across multiple levels of government under conditions of competitive rentierism using Nigeria as a case study. It addresses the ways in which identity is intentionally and unintentionally activated and exploited in the pursuit of power. In doing so, the paper seeks to contribute to a broader understanding of how political competition in rentier political marketplaces can drive local level violence, and the implications this has for understanding how to build peace in these environments. This is the first in a series of papers that examines the nature of violent conflict within political marketplace countries and the impact of efforts to build lasting peace.
Read the accompanying policy brief: Identity, Violence, and Politics: Understanding Violence in Political Marketplaces
