Beyond Ideology and Greed: Young People and New Forms of Violence in Côte d’Ivoire and Mali

This study describes how societies and dynamics surrounding young people in Mali and Cote d’Ivoire structure the trajectories of some towards violence. Participatory Research was carried out by InterPeace, together with its partners IMRAP and Indigo Cote d’Ivoire, involving 642 people. The study finds that ideology is not a decisive motivation for young people’s engagement in violent groups, but rather a legitimation discourse a posteriori. Likewise, unemployment and greed, although they remain of importance, are not pivotal. What plays a bigger role is youth’s need to find their place in society, to be recognized and valued, and to feel like they are contributing to a bigger initiative. A deep educational crisis – affecting families, communities, and the education system – is at the root of young people’s pathways towards violence. Koranic education may represent a factor of resilience against engagement in violence, because it offers a community-based socialization space to children and youth.