Our Sociology PhD Graduate Dr. Abdirashid Diriye Kalmoy Publishes in OPUS Journal of Society Research

Dr. Abdirashid Diriye Kalmoy, a PhD graduate of our Department of Sociology, has published his article titled “Climate Change Induced Political Conflict and Violence in Greater Somalia” in the OPUS Journal of Society Research on 12th of February, 2026. In this study, Dr. Kalmoy offers a critical climate history of the Somali civil war, examining how the conflict extended beyond Somalia’s borders into Somali-inhabited regions of Kenya, Ethiopia, and Djibouti.

The article analyzes how increasing aridity, declining rainfall, and recurrent droughts and famines have intensified and prolonged political conflict and violence across the region. The central argument of the study is that climate change, induced droughts and famines, are key drivers of recurring and protracted political conflicts in what is often referred to as Greater Somalia.

Decreasing rainfall and rising temperatures have led to the shrinking of grazing lands and tree cover, resulting in widespread land degradation. These long and severe dry spells have weakened state institutions and heightened communal vulnerabilities, frequently triggering violent competition over scarce resources such as pasturelands and water wells.

A Multidisciplinary Analysis

While political conflict in the Somali context is often explained primarily through clan dynamics, communal relations, and weak state capacity in the face of militias and armed groups, Dr. Kalmoy’s research moves beyond these conventional frameworks. He argues that climate change and ecological disruption—undermining centuries-old pastoral livelihoods—form a foundational layer of the region’s instability.

Employing a multidisciplinary geospatial analysis framework, the study examines ecological, climatic, and socio-political dynamics across Greater Somalia. By mapping changes in tree cover and climate variability alongside patterns of conflict and violence, the article demonstrates how environmental degradation and political instability intersect.

The study makes a significant contribution to the literature by presenting an analytical case of how climate change–driven aridity and land degradation can lead to and exacerbate political conflict and violence.

We congratulate Dr. Kalmoy and wish him continued success in his future endeavors.