Contesting Post-Colonial Government: Social Movements in Senegal from the 1990s to the Present.

Senegal is often portrayed as a model for a stable liberal democracy with relative economic success in the region. Social movements have used political opportunities as an outlet for expression and have been used by politicians as a tactic for mobilization. However, political opportunities have not been the only rationale for movement formation. Studies conducted on social movements in Senegal have predominantly focused on large-scale mobilization worthy of media attention. Furthermore, most conceptual definitions for social movements tend to focus on the perspective of affluent liberal democracies, failing to account for the specificities of lower-income nations with different characteristics, preoccupations, aims, and strategies. For several reasons, Senegal is a particularly well-suited case to study social movements in low-income countries. First, Senegal is one of the least politically repressive countries in the region. Second, it has a relatively active and effective landscape of social movements. Third, it is dominated by moderate Islam with very little room for radical religious movements compared to other countries in the region. These unique characteristics not only make Senegal an intriguing case study but also highlight several critical gaps in the existing literature on social movements. Specifically, these gaps include: (1) how social movements form, change, and evolve over time, (2) to what extent existing social movement analytical approaches fit the context of lower-income nations, and (3) how social movements can be conceptualized to reflect the context of lower-income nations, which are marked by fragile economies, weak state provisions, and often difficult democratic transitions. This paper aims to examine the evolution of social movements in Senegal since the 1990s. In doing so, it will contribute to theoretical perspectives on social movements by informing the classification and conceptualization of these movements in lower-income countries, particularly within sub-Saharan Africa, with Senegal as a case study.