Music, Peace, and Governance in the Sahel: A Conversation with Malian Musicians

Moderator: Kellogg Faculty Fellow Jaimie Bleck, Assistant Professor of Political Science
Panelists: Amical Blues - Ahmed Ag Kaedy, Dramane Toure, and Belco Guindo
three Malian musicians, part of the Peace Caravan, representing three distinct ethnic groups (Tuareg, Songhoy, and Dogon) from three different geographic regions of Mali (Timbuktu, Kidal, and Northern Mopti)

After an initial rebellion in 2012, the Malian state has struggled to contain increasing insecurity including the rise of intercommunal violence, and growth of al-Qaeda affiliated groups. Despite the presence of more than 15,000 UN personnel and 1,000 French troops, the security situation continues to deteriorate.  The panel will explore the Malian conflict through the lens of some of those most affected – musicians from the North of Mali.  The panel will discuss the impact of the crisis on their own lives as well as the musical economy in Mali.  They will describe their own efforts to quell insecurity and re-establish peace through music.

Ahmed Ag Kaedy was just featured on the PBS newshour April 16 - click here to view.

Cosponsored by the Kellogg Institute, the Kellogg Institute Africa Working Group, the Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts, the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, the Keough School of Global Affairs, the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, and an Arts and Letters Teaching Beyond the Classroom Grant.

Related Events

Mali Blues (film)
Starring Ahmed Ag Kaedy
April 13-14, 9:30pm, Browning Cinema

Amical Blues with student and alumni collaborators live-score "The Passion of Joan of Arc"
April 19-20, 7pm, Browning Cinema
Free, Ticketed Event, Open to the Public