What is Somalia?

A few days ago I was listening to NPR and I heard the host say, “the war between Ethiopia and Somalia…Somalia is a sovereign state…” The fact that there was a war was not news to me, what puzzled me was the statement.

In general, political scientist categories states as pre-modern, modern, and post-modern states. Most states in the world fall under the category of “modern.” Another word for a modern state is a “Westphalian state,” after the 1648 treaty of Westphalia that ended the thirty year war in Europe and is given credit by historians for beginning the modern political era. “The Peace of Westphalia is crucially important to modern international relations theory, with the Peace often being defined as the beginning of the international system with which the discipline deals. International relations theorists have identified the Peace of Westphalia as having several key principles, which explain the Peace's significance and its impact on the world today:
1. The principle of the sovereignty of states and the fundamental right of political self determination
2. The principle of (legal) equality between states
3. The principle of non-intervention of one state in the internal affairs of another state
These principles are common to the way the dominant international relations paradigm views the international system today, which explains why the system of states is referred to as ‘The Westphalian System’.” (Wikipedia, peace of Westphalia)
Another principle I would like to add that is related to number three is internal sovereignty; that is, a central government that has the highest authority within its territory.
This is not true for Somalia. It is true that Somalian people recognize a greater Somalian community of people that share similar customs, religion, language, history, among others. It is not true to say that Somalia is a Westphalian state, which is contemporary the conventional organizing order for states. Somalians recognize ones immediate community (clans) as the source with the legitimate right to rule them. A centralized form of government in which clans no longer matter is culturally and socially foreign.

It is not correct to say that Ethiopia is fighting a war with Somalia. Ethiopia is fighting a war with the Somalian Islamic Courts Council (SICC), a group of clans, who want to assert hegemony over the Somalian people and create a Westphalian state—as does the Somalian transitional government.

Ending statement

I recognize that the moderator who made the statement knew that the fighting was between the SICC and the UN backed transitional government with the support of the Ethiopian government, but the statement made clear that sometimes people view foreign social issues (conflict in our example) through the prisms of their own social order.

I do believe that there are many social similarities among cultures—conflict, competition, order, religion, cooperation, among others. Yet, it is important for leaders, decision makers, influential people, and engaged citizens to understand that there are differences in how different communities deal with these similar human endeavors. Having an understanding of these differences when attempting to evaluate social phenomenon would prevent people from making fallacious arguments like, “the Taliban were strict Islamist, the SICC are strict Islamist, so the SICC will be just like the Taliban.”