HMDVA81
Assignment 3
Unique No: 339400
Due 9 July 2025
, HMDVA81
Assignment 3
Unique No: 339400
Due: 9 July 2025
Literature Review Strategies for the Concept of “Eco-Violence” in the Sahel
Region
1. Introduction
The Sahel region—a semi-arid ecological belt stretching across northern Africa from
Senegal to Sudan—has increasingly become emblematic of the complex interplay
between environmental degradation and violent conflict. In recent decades, the
convergence of climate variability, land degradation, water scarcity, and socio-political
instability has produced a fragile landscape marked by intercommunal violence and
insurgency (Benjaminsen, 2021; UNDP, 2023). The emerging term “eco-violence”
seeks to conceptualise this intersection, encapsulating the intricate links between
ecological stress and both organised and communal violence in the region.
This literature review synthesises existing academic and grey literature to assess how
eco-violence is understood and applied in the Sahel. It adopts a systematic and
thematic approach to evaluate how environmental conditions—particularly water
scarcity—act as catalysts or aggravators of intergroup conflict. Additionally, it highlights
the key theoretical frameworks and research gaps that require further scholarly
engagement.
Assignment 3
Unique No: 339400
Due 9 July 2025
, HMDVA81
Assignment 3
Unique No: 339400
Due: 9 July 2025
Literature Review Strategies for the Concept of “Eco-Violence” in the Sahel
Region
1. Introduction
The Sahel region—a semi-arid ecological belt stretching across northern Africa from
Senegal to Sudan—has increasingly become emblematic of the complex interplay
between environmental degradation and violent conflict. In recent decades, the
convergence of climate variability, land degradation, water scarcity, and socio-political
instability has produced a fragile landscape marked by intercommunal violence and
insurgency (Benjaminsen, 2021; UNDP, 2023). The emerging term “eco-violence”
seeks to conceptualise this intersection, encapsulating the intricate links between
ecological stress and both organised and communal violence in the region.
This literature review synthesises existing academic and grey literature to assess how
eco-violence is understood and applied in the Sahel. It adopts a systematic and
thematic approach to evaluate how environmental conditions—particularly water
scarcity—act as catalysts or aggravators of intergroup conflict. Additionally, it highlights
the key theoretical frameworks and research gaps that require further scholarly
engagement.
