Jali popular song and conflict mediation in the aftermath of the Gambia’s 2016 election
Author(s):
Bonnie B. McConnell
Publication Year:
2020
Type:
journal article
Journal/Book Title
Ethnomusicology Forum
Publisher
Editor(s):
Pages:
213-229
Volume:
29
Issue:
2
Abstract:
In December 2016, the Gambia appeared on the brink of violent conflict when Yahya Jammeh, the country’s dictator of 22 years, refused to concede defeat in the presidential election. This article investigates the way griot performers responded to the Gambia’s political crisis, using the platform of the popular kora mbalax style as a medium for political engagement and conflict resolution. It shows that performers’ responses to the Gambia’s political crisis drew on longstanding practices of conflict mediation while also demonstrating creativity and flexibility in engaging with social media and more direct forms of political critique.
Citation (Chicago Author-Date):
McConnell, Bonnie B. 2020. “Jali Popular Song and Conflict Mediation in the Aftermath of the Gambia’s 2016 Election.” Ethnomusicology Forum 29 (2): 213–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/17411912.2020.1832554.