What is an autochthony discourse? Why is this discourse a popular explanation for current global political conflicts? This Third World Quarterly article argues that the use of autochthony discourse is an attractive way to respond to the ontological uncertainty around political identities within the postmodern/postcolonial condition. It examines why these autochthony discourses are commonly associated with violence. The article firstly investigates the reasons why the current postmodern/postcolonial condition is characterised by an increasing degree of ontological uncertainty. It then follows with an analysis as to why autochthony discourses are often linked to violence.
Autochthony is the claim that the speaker is an original inhabitant of the land; a ‘son of the soil’ has become a key element of many African armed conflicts. While all contexts remain unique, the autochthony claims have become a common debate within global political conflicts. These case studies include the conflicts in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ivory Coast, but also in non-African contexts. Despite providing an illusionary sense of being stable and secure, autochthony discourse is inherently unstable.
Autochthony claims have been made to illustrate and explain some of Africa’s most prominent conflicts of political violence. THis article briefly outlines some of the most prominent factors which have influenced today’s ontological uncertainty. These include:
- Global economic restructuring – the employment of autochthony discourse is thus both a response to and an integral part of the globalisation process in Africa.
- Political liberalisation and shifting terms of political identity – autochthony discourses are used within the process of political liberalisation to redefine citizenship on narrow and exclusionary terms, thus codifying political identities.
- Crises in the neo-patrimonial state – the existence of neo-patrimonial networks has resulted in an increased utilisation of autochthony discourse to exclude competitors in the struggle for political and economic resources associated with state power.
- Marginalised youths and social groups – employing autochthony tropes and violence is an attractive response for socially marginalised groups who are dealing with ontological uncertainty.
- State-making processes and ontological uncertainty – within processes of state-building whereby discourses of sovereignty are utilised to develop a concept which control borders and produces the illusion of a clearly defined interior separated from an exterior, the use of autochthony tropes become useful tools for justification.
There is also a notable link between autochthony discourse and violence. There are three explanations for this close association.
- Violence is countenanced as the seductive provider of ontic certainty
- These discourses often rely on a narrative of victimisation which explicitly legitimises violence against the ‘aliens’ and the ‘invaders’.
- Violence in its various manifestations is at the very core of statecraft
Autochthonous violence is an effect of, rather than merely a reaction to, contemporary trends of globalisation and state making. The autochthony trope appears not in the absence of the state, but as an integral part of state-building process. Particularly, autochthony claims are popular with populations seeking security and certainty. Despite the uncertainty and instability of the claims, autochthony discourses will remain popular explanations.
