Faculty Advisor
Eric Lob
Author Biographical Statement
Ariel Robledo is a fourth-year student pursuing a double major in Political Science and History. Ariel dreams of one day working for the federal government with specialties in policymaking, governance, and especially research. He is a member of the FIU Student Government Association as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, and former research assistant to FIU's Theory-based Research on Interviewing, Interrogation, Intelligence-gathering, and Assessing Deception Lab. Outside of FIU, he was a history intern for the Graduate Center for the City University of New York (CUNY). He is currently an intern for a security-based think tank specializing in international relations and global security.
Abstract
For over five decades, the region of Western Sahara has been entangled in a web of speculation and conflict since Spain relinquished control of the region. The totality of which has caused years of bloodshed and infighting between the government of Morocco and the partially recognized state in the region known as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic who have both claimed ownership of the region. This staunch stance from the two parties has historically mired the regional and international community and has caused tensions to continuously escalate. The recent announcement by countries at the turn of the 2020s such as the United States, Spain, and France endorsing Morocco’s claim over Western Sahara has reignited these same historical disputes, sparking tensions globally, regionally, and among the indigenous Sahrawi population. This analysis examines the implications of their endorsement, exploring the historical context, possible reasonings, and the regional impact this decision may have for Western Sahara.
DOI
10.25148/FIUURJ.3.1.13
Recommended Citation
Robledo, Ariel
(2025)
"Echoes of Colonization: Western Sahara’s Historical Struggle for Self-Determination,"
FIU Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 3:
Iss.
1, Article 13.
DOI: 10.25148/FIUURJ.3.1.13
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/undergraduate-journal/vol3/iss1/13
