Hegemonic and counter-hegemonic interaction as a challenge to regional organizational actorness and coherent collective security cooperation: a case of Nigeria, France and ECOWAS

Akolga, Amobire

Abstract

This thesis examines the challenges facing the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, in manifesting actorness and in coordinating and owning West African sub-regional collective security. These issues are considered via a theoretical examination of the concepts of hegemony and counter-hegemony and an empirical assessment of their application to the West African context. The main hypothetical claim that the thesis seeks to test is that the hegemonic and counter-hegemonic interaction of Nigeria and France has undermined ECOWAS’ ability to coordinate and own sub- regional collective security.
In order to undertake this analysis, the thesis takes existing theoretical frameworks of hegemony/counter-hegemony and actorness and refines and applies these to the West African context. Specifically, its framework of hegemony/counter-hegemony is tested against Nigeria and France, the two leading state actors in West African security governance, whilst the actorness framework is tested against ECOWAS. Using a grounded theory and case study approach, the thesis draws on data collected using semi- structured in-depth interviews, documentary analysis, and secondary literature. The main argument is that ECOWAS has demonstrated growing actorness in and ownership of sub- regional collective security, but that in both of these regards it is hindered by the interaction of Nigeria’s sub-regional hegemony and France’s extra-regional counter- hegemony. With particular focus on institutional penetration as a hegemonic/counter- hegemonic criterion, the thesis further argues that Nigeria’s sub-regional hegemonic influence emanates from the ECOWAS, through Abuja’s smart power approach to sub- regional collective security. On the other hand, France’s counter-hegemonic influence in African security governance emanates mainly from the UN, which limits its recognition in the sub-region, hence, its ascription as an extra-regional counter-hegemon. The thesis finds that whilst Nigeria’s hegemony enhances ECOWAS actorness and ownership of sub-regional collective security, France’s counter-hegemony remains largely state-centric and has thus undermined ECOWAS’ collective security actorness and ownership. The thesis concludes that its main hypothetical claim is proven on the basis that France’s state- centric approach has not been compatible with ECOWAS’ collective security agenda which seeks international cooperation under the leadership of ECOWAS.

Citation

Akolga, A. (2020). Hegemonic and counter-hegemonic interaction as a challenge to regional organizational actorness and coherent collective security cooperation: a case of Nigeria, France and ECOWAS. (Thesis). University of Hull. Retrieved from https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4223024

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Mar 26, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 23, 2023
• Keywords: Politics
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4223024
• Additional Information: Department of Politics, The University of Hull
• Award Date: Sep 1, 2020