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Paper short abstract:

This paper uses the integrative literature review methodology in assessing, critiquing, and synthesising selected key publications on Boko Haram with the goal of advancing knowledge and showing new direction for Boko Haram studies and developing theory.

Paper long abstract:

Nigeria and countries around the Lake Chad Basin have been fighting Boko Haram insurgency since 2009 when Boko Haram turned violent. Boko Haram has caused hundreds of thousands of directly and indirectly Boko Haram-related deaths. Although Boko Haram’s terrorist activities have been largely degraded due to a combination of sustained counterterrorism operations, limited political solutions, and infighting and disintegration of the group, Boko Haram remains active and potent. The insurgency has attracted a significant intellectual response with an impressive record of hundreds of scholarly publications. Yet, knowledge about the origin, motivation and transformation of Boko Haram remains partial and lasting solution elusive. There are competing narratives regarding factors that have caused and sustained the insurgency as well as disagreements over the efficacy of the myriad of responses that have been proposed. There seems to be an obvious disconnect between old and recent publications on Boko Haram that have yielded two negative outcomes. One, the recycling of old themes and, two, the misleading assumption by some scholars that Boko Haram study is a yesterday issue. This paper therefore uses the integrative literature review methodology in assessing, critiquing, and synthesising selected key published research articles, books, and other significant publications on Boko Haram. It evaluates the factors that have sustained the group and critiques the impacts and limitations of the counterinsurgency approaches. The goal of the paper is to advance knowledge, show new direction for Boko Haram studies and develop theory relating to Boko Haram’s past, present and future direction.