What Is a “Real Liberation”? Political Languages of Freedom in the Somali Territories Across Conflicts and Generations

The article discusses some aspects of the political culture of Somali territories by relying on historical and ethnographic analysis. It outlines the contextualized history of the political languages of freedom and liberation between the weakening of the Somali State that started with the Ogaden War (1977-1978), the peace-building efforts that followed its collapse in 1991, the creation of the Republic of Somaliland during the same period, and the contribution of Somalilander youth to their country’s democratization. A special focus is placed on the construction of independent Somaliland institutions in the 1990s, and on the political configuration of the youth issue during Somaliland’s 2012 local council elections. Under these circumstances, the discourses and concrete claims of different political actors shape the historical trajectory of relational formulations of freedom; through the oscillation between hope and disillusion, the question of what “real liberation” would look like shows its renewed analytical and political relevance.