Power use in water distribution under Islamic State : testing the Framework of Hydro-Hegemony on the case of Manbij, Syria

Abstract: This research looks at hydropolitics under Islamic State (IS). The research departs from the belief that power asymmetries determine to a significant extent the political distributional issue of ‘who gets what, when, where and why’ and who is left out. IS has also exploited their power potential in order to implement their decision on water allocation and distribution. To analyse this the research draws upon the Framework of Hydro-Hegemony. Based on the analysis of interview data, the research argues that IS loyalists have unconditionally access to water whereas non-loyalists face several constraints, in particular financial constraints. The power used by IS that determines this outcome are in particular material and ideational power. Ideational power can be observed in the fact that IS has constructed a belief that thinking or speaking outside the discursive hegemony will have serious consequences. This belief became the sanctioned discourse after a process of construction. The construction can be seen as an active process through the use of for example threats, and as a passive process as the narrative is based on the group’s reputation. On the other hand however, this reputation would not have existed without the offensive and shocking use of material power, which constructed and maintained the reputation. This shows that power in one dimension strengthens power in another dimension. Finally, this study serves as a basis for discussion about how appropriate the framework is for understanding the subnational level and non-state actors as hegemons. In relation to this, it can be argued that the framework was not perfectly suitable as the interview data mainly gave insights on the consequences rather than the process of water distribution. However, this does not necessarily relate to the level and actors but rather to the method. In addition, the research points out some key matters that can be further discussed in relation to the Framework of Hydro-Hegemony. It is argued that the framework can benefit from an in-depth study of perceptions.