Narratives of the Nation and Democracy in Mali

One central query that informs this article is the study of the complex relationship between memory and political identities in Mali during Alpha Omar Konaré’s presidency (1992-2002). In particular, I investigate the implications of the fall of one-party systems for the narration of this West African nation. The official narration of the nation and its past is no longer an activity solely in the hands of states and dominant parties. Since Mali’s recent democratic turn, a number of newly emerged or re-emerged parties compete over often contrasting narratives of the nation.My study of the memorial that is dedicated to Mali’s first president, Modibo Keita, examines some of the contradictions of Mali’s democratic turn –the newly available freedom of expression but also the process of fragmentation of Mali’s politics (as shown by the proliferation of political parties and the lively opposition to the government during part of Konaré’s presidency). A focus on contested historical accounts and the production of history is crucial to further our understanding of the process of democratization in Africa –in particular the innovations, continuities, and contradictions of current political contexts.