"Changing security dynamics in Tunisia: the battle for Ben Gardane"

The 2016 jihadist attack on Ben Gardane represented a watershed moment for Tunisia's post-revolutionary trajectory, the capacity of the state and its institutions, and the relationship between marginalized citizens and the state. When a group of Islamic State, mostly Tunisian, militants stormed the city, counting on popular support against a distant state, their attack was met with fierce resistance by local residents who sided with Tunisian security forces and defended the city. The response to the Ben Gardane attack reveals two significant developments: The first is evolving notions and practices of security, from authoritarian regime security--which revolved around the physical and political survival of the rulers--to state security--which is premised on defending the country's borders and physical security of the population. The second is a post-Ben Gardane attack transformation into granular practices of citizens' involvement in local security practices, signalling the emergence of a new pact between the authorities and citizens. A pivotal moment in the country's fight against security threats, Ben Gardane has come to epitomize the rapidity with which rhetorically the image and perception of a local community can be transformed, but also the limited impact this has on material conditions of inequality and marginalization.