Those seeking power are among us: decentralisation, political transformation and traditional authorities in the Inner Niger Delta (Mali)

This thesis is an empirical study of the changes resulting from decentralisation and democratisation processes that Youwarou, a small rural town in the Inner Niger Delta in Mali, has experienced over the last decade. At the beginning of the nineties, Mali has undertaken the decentralization of the state, a huge administrative reform. Officially, it was presented as an ideal tool which would bring development and democratisation at the local level via the multiparty game and local elections. B...