| ID | 186319 |
| Title Proper | Assuming our place in the concert of nations |
| Other Title Information | Burundi as imagined in Pierre Nkurunziza's political speeches |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Wittig, Katrin ; Andrea Filipi ; Filipi, Andrea |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Pierre Nkurunziza died in 2020, just a few months short of completing his tenure as the first post-civil war President of Burundi. Critics have cast him as yet another rebel-turned-politician who came to office on a promise of a democratic transformation but became progressively authoritarian, particularly during his third, disputed term in office. As a political figure, however, Nkurunziza remains poorly understood. What kind of a worldview motivated his politics? Drawing on critical discourse analysis, we identify three recurring themes in Nkurunziza's key political speeches: anti-colonialism; unity and self-sufficiency; and discourse around ‘politics of a new beginning’. These themes were stable across time, indicating Nkurunziza's consistent worldview, but became more pronounced and radical as he faced growing challenges to his legitimacy from within and without. Far from being confined to rhetoric, the themes also manifested in concrete policy decisions, underscoring the urgent need to take ideology seriously in understanding the political trajectories of African leaders. |
| `In' analytical Note | Journal of Modern African Studies Vol. 60, No.2; Jun 2022: p.239 - 260 |
| Journal Source | Journal of Modern African Studies 2022-06 60, 2 |
| Key Words | Ideology ; Burundi ; Discourse analysis ; Worldview ; Political Speeches ; Nkurunziza |