What is this project all about?

It is common knowledge that a lot of countries in sub-Saharan Africa have experienced wars and political unrest since they gained independence in the early 1960s. Despite all the negative connotations that are synonymous with war, it appears that for some countries war and music share an intricate relationship. In countries like the DRC and Ivory Coast, political unrest has contributed to the popularity of innovative musical styles and dances such as the ‘N’dombolo’, the ‘Zouglou’ and the ‘Coupe-Decale.’ Artists seem to have restructured these musical styles to express the local population's desire for peace and its exasperation in the face of the deteriorating political situation. Rather than evoking the grief and struggle of life in a war zone, these musical trends exhibit frenzied rhythms and occasionally comical and satirical lyrics.

Although peace has returned to many of these countries, the music lives on. This project will analyze these musical trends and attempt to estimate their impacts on the conflict resolution process in these communities. It will also attempt to evaluate the importance of this music to the civilian population as an instrument to confront state conflicts. In order to achieve this, I will interview popular artists and precursors of each genre from Ivory Coast and neighboring countries, so as to understand the individual motivations behind their lyrics. Furthermore, individuals from universities, influential cultural institutions, non-governmental organizations and other councils, will be asked to share their opinions on this music and its impacts within the socio-economic and political contexts of their countries.

This project will be divided into 3 phases that will stretch over the course of 6 – 8 months. The first phase will consist of information-gathering and preparation. I will undertake coursework under the guidance of my faculty advisor to prime me in the methods of social research. I will also simultaneously attempt to build contacts in the targeted locations. In the pursuit of honest and genuine accounts from individuals affected by the music and the conflicts alike, the second phase of this project will be conducted in the field. Tentatively, it can be assumed that field research conducted in Africa will take place primarily in Ivory Coast, while research conducted in Europe (where most artists reside) will occur in France, the UK and Belgium.  The project will culminate in a third phase where I will document and analyze my findings, and present them in the form of a piece of written work. Ideally, the research could be used in schools and other educational settings in Africa and Canada to lead or enrich a discussion on the relationship between music, peace and conflict.