Imaginando la Nación: Influencia del Neocolonialismo Francés en la Construcción de la Identidad Nacional Nigerina (1993 - 2023).

Abstract

The present article explores how French neocolonialism has impacted the shaping of national identity in Niger between 1993 and 2023. Its main objective is to analyze, from a constructivist and critical perspective, the ways in which French influence has shaped the perception and construction of the Nigerien nation. The methodology employed is a case study with a qualitative-descriptive approach, aimed at achieving a deep understanding of the historical, political, social, and cultural processes underlying this phenomenon.

The first chapter contextualizes the political and social evolution of the Republic of Niger over the past three decades. The second proposes a theoretical-critical interpretative framework, where elements of constructivism, critical nationalism studies, and perspectives on neocolonialism analysis intersect. This section seeks to examine how the practice of neocolonial activities by one state over another can affect the process of national identity construction. Finally, the third chapter reviews and analyzes the process of Nigerien national identity construction in light of the power relations between the French state and its former colony, as well as the political, social, and cultural implications of these relations for Nigerien society.

The article concludes that the concept of the Nigerien nation is largely an imagined cultural construct, emerging from political principles and power dynamics that reflect its neocolonial heritage, highlighting the complexity of the national identity construction process in a context where external influences in linguistic, political, and cultural matters remain significant.