Beyond the Ethnic Battle in Darfur: Considering the Water Explanation to Conflict and Resolve

Abstract

The primary intent of this thesis looked to identify some of the greater issues that have impacted the country of the Sudan, in particular its most-Western Region of Darfur. Although research on the Darfur conflict have been extensive since the beginning of its contention, it is seen that there are still lots of incomplete areas with previous research that dont fully explain the struggle. This limitation meant that there was a need to augment current findings on conflict in Darfur. Thus, the research behind this thesis seeks to look at several arrays of impacting components that help further understand how the region was negatively affected, while using the Mary Douglas Model of Group & Grid as a framework to show how an alignment of separate factors in Darfur triggered conflict. Other variables that were previously unconsidered such as land rights and water scarcity were included to be examined. To analyze whether resources were significant could help further explain Darfur and its resolve.