Harsch - Burkina Faso: a history of power, protest and revolution

PRAISE FOR BURKINA FASO

A fascinating journey through the turbulent history of Burkina Faso. This book shows how the 2014 uprising was both a remarkable and original episode in the countrys long tradition of protests and political inventiveness.

Marie-Soleil Frre, Universit libre de Bruxelles

Smart, accessible, and essential reading for all who are interested in African politics. It provides new insight into Burkina Fasos fascinating political history, from Sankara to the 2014 uprising.

Laura Seay, Colby College

Burkina Faso finds itself at the heart of the current Sahelian crisis, while simultaneously navigating its own revolutionary democratic transition. Harschs insightful and lively account offers keen insights into the political history of a fascinating yet unfortunately understudied country.

Leonardo A. Villaln, University of Florida

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ernest Harsch is a long-time journalist and academic who specializes in African political and development topics. He worked on African issues for more than twenty years at the United Nations Secretariat in New York, including as managing editor of the UNs quarterly journal Africa Renewal. He is a research scholar affiliated with Columbia Universitys Institute of African Studies and served as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the universitys School of International and Public Affairs. In addition to hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles, he has published academic essays on topics including African democratization, social movements, and anti-corruption state reforms. His previous books include Thomas Sankara: An African Revolutionary (2014).

BURKINA
FASO

A History of Power, Protest, and Revolution

ERNEST
HARSCH

Burkina Faso: A History of Power, Protest, and Revolution was first published in 2017 by Zed Books Ltd, The Foundry, 17 Oval Way, London SE11 5RR, UK

www.zedbooks.net

Copyright Ernest Harsch 2017

The rights of Ernest Harsch to be identified as the author of this work have been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988

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Index: Ernest Harsch

Cover design: Kika Sroka-Miller

Cover photo Panos; Young Bella man at the Monday market of Markoye, Burkina Faso

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A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978-1-78699-136-2 hb

ISBN 978-1-78699-135-5 pb

ISBN 978-1-78699-137-9 pdf

ISBN 978-1-78699-138-6 epub

ISBN 978-1-78699-139-3 mobi

CONTENTS

This book has had a long gestation, beginning with visits to Burkina Faso as a journalist in the 1980s and later in pursuit of graduate and post-graduate studies. Over the years, more than two dozen Burkinab in government, academia, civil society, and the labour movement graciously agreed to be interviewed on record, and their views are cited in the book. Many others also helped in various ways. My greatest appreciation goes to Madnodge Mounoubai, who, though not himself Burkinab, has been deeply engaged with that country since the 1980s and has frequently given logistical advice, contacts, transcription support, and his own insights. Jean Marie Sawadogo likewise extended essential help during several visits, as an informal guide and with contacts and introductions. Ever since my first trip, Ismael Diallo has been consistently generous with his observations, connections to key informants, and, during the difficult days of the October 1987 coup, the hospitality of his own home. For their informal observations, I would like to thank Moussa Diallo, the late Pascal Zagr, and the late Etienne Zongo. Numerous editors have permitted me to share my thinking about Burkina Faso through their publications, most notably Margaret Novicki at Africa Report , Salim Lone at the UNs Africa Recovery , and Masimba Tafirenyika at its successor Africa Renewal . Gillian Berchowitz, editor-in-chief of Ohio University Press, presided over my previous book on Burkina Faso, a biography of Thomas Sankara, and shared valuable ideas for framing this one. In academia, Pierre Englebert repeatedly provided invaluable observations and contacts. I would additionally like to thank the New School for Social Research for its Chiune Sugihara Dissertation Fellowship, which helped defray some of my graduate research costs. I am especially grateful to the late Charles Tilly, at both the New School and Columbia University, who pushed me to ask difficult questions, maintain a comparative perspective, and better highlight the wider significance of the upheavals in Burkina Faso. If this book can make a small contribution towards understanding the dynamics of such a little-studied country, it is largely thanks to these numerous collaborators. And as always, I am beyond grateful to my wife, Eloise Linger, for her support in so many different ways.