Exploring the conflict over the crude oil in the Niger delta : a discourse analysis of the communication between some actors involved

Abstract: Over the past decades, the Niger Delta a very rich area of one of the best crude oils in the world has been experiencing conflicts and there have been many discourses that have been developed over the years concerning this case by different actors. This thesis is aimed at understanding the conflict over the crude oil issue in the Niger Delta with a focus on the discourses of some selected actors such as Shell B.P, M.E.N.D (Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta and the Federal Government of Nigeria. The methodology that would be applied to investigate this case further is known as discourse analysis (DA) and some concepts in DA would also be applied. In addition to this, theories of power would also be applied focusing mostly on the works by Foucault and Michel Mann with a view of understanding the power relations at play in this case.