Non-violence or Violent Extremism: Young Refugees’ Propensities Pending the Resolution of the Conflict in Western Sahara

Abstract

This article explores the likelihood of seeing the younger generation of Western Sahara refugees have recourse to violent extremism in lieu of a non-violent political struggle for independence. It is argued that destitution in the refugee camps along with the spreading of the terrorist threat in the Sahara and Sahel region constitute exacerbating factors in the increasing discontent of the youth exiled in the Algerian desert. In this context, a quantitative study was undertaken to explore the relationship between factors like age, poverty and gender and the abandonment of non-violent political resistance. Three instruments were used to conduct this research: the Post-Migration Living Difficulties Questionnaire, the Activism and Radicalism Intentions Scales, and the Feeling Thermometer. The results found that there was a strong relationship between poverty and the likelihood to abandon non-violence. The purpose of this research is to provide recommendations to policy-makers and to the authorities in charge of the Western Sahara dossier.

Keywords:

• Western Sahara
• conflict
• refugees
• quantitative
• non-violence
• youth

Notes

1 The fact that the number of males surpassed that of females is simply related to their availability during the sampling and data collection processes. All of them answered the totality of the items covered by the questionnaires.

2 The term ‘fights’ is not assumed to be associated with violent struggle.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sabrina Chikhi

SABRINA CHIKHI is a PhD candidate at Nova Southeastern University where she is pursuing a doctorate in Conflict Analysis and Resolution. She holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University, a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Strayer University, and a Master’s in Law from the Université de Perpignan Via Domitia.