Is the Climate the Culprit? Drought in Darfur and Turkana: a Comparison.

In this thesis the influence of drought on the conflicts in Turkana in northern Kenya and Darfur in Sudan is researched, both of which involve pastoralists, but which also differ in many other respects. First, a theoretical background on the relation between environmental degradation and violent conflict is provided, exploring the academic debate on the topic. The following chapters constitute a thorough overview of the histories and important factors for both the Darfur and Turkana conflicts, investigating the role of drought in the conflicts and its interplay with other causal factors. The last chapter compares the different ways in which drought influenced both conflicts. In the theoretical framework it is found that most often environmental factors alone do not cause violent conflict, but they can act as “threat multipliers”. This idea holds true for the conflicts in Darfur and Turkana. In both cases drought led to increased migration of pastoralists, causing increased tension...Show moreIn this thesis the influence of drought on the conflicts in Turkana in northern Kenya and Darfur in Sudan is researched, both of which involve pastoralists, but which also differ in many other respects. First, a theoretical background on the relation between environmental degradation and violent conflict is provided, exploring the academic debate on the topic. The following chapters constitute a thorough overview of the histories and important factors for both the Darfur and Turkana conflicts, investigating the role of drought in the conflicts and its interplay with other causal factors. The last chapter compares the different ways in which drought influenced both conflicts. In the theoretical framework it is found that most often environmental factors alone do not cause violent conflict, but they can act as “threat multipliers”. This idea holds true for the conflicts in Darfur and Turkana. In both cases drought led to increased migration of pastoralists, causing increased tension in receiving areas. However, the effect of drought on the conflict is found to be much more direct in Turkana than it is in Darfur.Show less

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Is the Climate the Culprit? Drought in Darfur and Turkana: a Comparison.