This brief guide to understanding Boko Haram goes behind the headlines about “Islamic militants” to the more complicated story about poverty, corruption and Islam in Nigerian politics.
The guide is divided into 8 topics, each one shorter, sometimes much shorter, than a page. Resources for further reading are also included.
- Boko Haram at a Glance
- Nigeria at a Glance: pertinent facts for understanding this crisis
- Overview of Boko Haram
- Underlying Conditions to the Crisis
- The Meaning of “Boko Haram” is Subtler than Media Portrayal
- Nigerian Government Responds
- US Government: what would be a useful response?
- Media Portrayal
No teaching guide is included because of time constraints. If you talk about Boko Haram with students, it is vital to remind them that “Africa” does not equal crisis. Because the media focuses on crises, and because our students generally know little else about Africa, they conclude that violent instability is what Africa is all about. For a teaching guide on how to get beyond Africa = crisis, read the section in the website below on effective teaching resources and strategies for having students see the political diversity of Africa and watch Africans working on solutions:http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/resources/teaching-about-kony2012/
As always, a wealth of teaching materials on Africa is available on our website:www.bu.edu/africa/outreach