The political ecology of Tuareg music in the context of uranium mining in North Niger

This article investigates the resistance of the Tuareg through their music from an ecological standpoint. It proposes to explore how a Political Ecology lens can shed new light on Tuareg music as a form of cultural resistance in the face of uranium extraction and environmental damage on Tuareg land. Using post-structuralist Political Ecology theories, this study examines the power relations within the political-economic nexus of uranium extraction in Niger, as well as the evolution of Tuareg resistance and music in this context. It investigates the discursive framing of environmental subjects in Tuareg battles and the politics that sustain the development of music, uncovering processes of silencing the Tuareg’s resistance and essentialising their music. Developing the analysis further through a Political Ontology framework, it explores Tuareg music as a contested space between Indigenous and Western ontologies to examine how the everyday practice of music creates effective forms of ontological resistance and brings about postcolonial critique. The case study demonstrates the potential of a Political Ecology lens to uncover unseen ecological dimensions in artistic productions and better grasp the breadth of cultural expressions as a force of resistance in the context of environmental conflicts.