Contenu du sommaire : États et sociétés nomades.

State and nomadic society in Algeria. Colonialism in conjunction with the 1944-1947 drought and the war of independence has destroyed nomadism in Algeria. In addition, the modernist vision of the Algerian nation-state has no place for nomadic society, a society that is deprived of its elites and economically subdued. Nomadism therefore tends to be a relic left behind by a conception of society undergoing the dynamics of unprecedented transformation.

The lion and the gazelle : states and Touaregs. Three examples (Algeria, Mali, Niger) show that the future of Saharo-Sahelian Touaregs is conditioned by historical and climatic conditions as well as the political orientations of the states. However, the capacity for social flexibility, a keen sense of politics and power and avoidance tactics permit these nomadic pastoralists to remain a political force in the modern equation.

Sedentary practice and nomadism in Mali : sociological reality or political slogan ? Malian nomads constitute 7 % of the population and are spread over 2/3 of the country. Three examples that analyse sedentary life are presented. Sedentarisation, organised by the Administration is considered by the nomads as a transitory measure. There is a follow up policy on the adequacy of the sedentarisation camps but permanency is ruled out by the vagaries of weather and foreign financial aid.

Pastoralism, sedentarisation and state in East Africa. To consider sédentarisation as a solution to current problems of recurrent food crisis in pastoral societies located in arid and semi-arid zones is a preconceived notion. In reality, the crisis is caused by sédentarisation rather than nomadism. Confronted with settlement policies, nomadism, thanks to extensive grazing, remains an indispensable strategy for the human occupation of arid zones. The political challenge is not to adopt nomads to preconceived sedentary systems but to improve pastoral life.

The Afars and state power in the horn of Africa. The Afars are confronted by the expansion of irrigated plantations on their grazzing grounds in Ethiopia and rapid urbanisation in Djibouti. After a period of rebellious resistance, the Afars are destabilised by repeated drought and are now constrained to sédentarisation. Would the creation of an autonomous Afar region in Ethiopia save the cultural specificity of its populations ?

Castle and power : herdsmen of Douthwestern and Western Madagascar. The agricultural pastoralists of Southwestern and Western Madagascar are affronted by profound transformations affecting the already difficult conditions in the rural world. They are boddy placed in relation to the new regional power structure and their difficulties are worsened by the progress of the modern economy. However, cattle remains central to ceremonial ideology and all strategies. The few proprietors of large herds use their wealth to create a network of clients there by enabling them extend their prosperity in other economic activities, in particular rice cultivation.

«The savage state...» : Pygmies and forests in central Africa. Apart from their residuality and their marginality, pygmies societies are good examples of contemporary changes confronting nomadic societies. Is there still space for pygmies in the forest ? Taking into account economic interests represented by forest zones and current development strategies, all outcomes except sédentarisation — a destructive factor — remain illusory.