3,778 research outputs found
Between ‘justice’ and ‘injustice’: justice populaire in the Eastern DR Congo
No full textJSRP Policy Brief 4, Between ‘Justice’ and ‘Injustice’: Justice Populaire in the Eastern DR Congo, by Judith Verweijen, is out now, exploring the phenomenon of justice populaire
How do patronage networks affect military cohesion?
No full textJudith Verweijen examines the impact of patronage networks on military cohesion within the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC)
Trump promises peace in Congo: but at what price?
Full text linkPresident Trump is trying to apply his transactional approach to peace to the current conflict in eastern Congo. However, as Koen Vlassenroot, Kasper Hoffmann and Judith Verweijen write, without addressing underlying issues, the deal may not secure peace
Revisiting colonial legacies in knowledge production on customary authority in Central and East Africa
Full text linkRenewed attention on customary authority in both scholarship and development interventions renders it pertinent to revisit how contemporary engagement with this form of authority is still informed by colonial legacies. These legacies include: first, the penchant to see customary authority as solely invested in 'chiefs', rather than being relational and multifaceted; second, compartmentalized approaches that emphasize chiefs' role as political authorities, while overlooking ritual, medicinal and spiritual aspects; third, misanalysing the role of female agency in the customary domain; and fourth, drawing on dichotomies that are often heavily inscribed in Western understandings, in particular, the modern versus traditional and state versus non-state divides. A growing body of work, however, has overcome these biases and developed more nuanced understandings of customary authority. Building on this work we propose to approach both the constitution of customary authority as well as knowledge production on this social institution in terms of 'contested coproduction'. This concept helps focus on the socially constructed boundaries between different categories, and to see customary authority as a contextually shaped product of both structure and agency. It, therefore, advances the project of developing general conceptual tools that can capture the bewildering variety of expressions of customary authority while still enabling comparison
The national army and armed groups in the eastern Congo: untangling the Gordian knot of insecurity
No full textThe final report of the Usalama Project presents the conclusions of 18-month field research on the national army and armed groups in the eastern DRC in three parts: an analysis of armed mobilization, focusing on the region of North and South Kivu; an examination of the FARDC; and a critical review of past and current efforts in the field of demobilization and army reform. Written by Jason Stearns, Judith Verweijen and Maria Eriksson Baaz, the report finds that in the DRC’s current political order, the mobilization of armed groups and hence violence is an effective strategy to obtain power and control resources. Troubled army policies only contribute to armed mobilization. By repeatedly integrating armed groups into the FARDC, the government has not only provided incentives for further insurrection, it has effectively sanctioned impunity. Untangling this Gordian knot will require a comprehensive political and military strategy, aligning local, national, and international initiatives
Stephanie Mathson interviews poet and author Judith Kerman
No full textPoet and author Judith Kerman talks about her experience as a Fulbright scholar in the Dominican Republic, her work translating poems by Cuban poet Dulce Mar\ueda Loynaz, learning Spanish, translating poems from Spanish, and her book "Retrofitting Blade Runner". Kerman is interviewed by Stephanie Mathson of the Michigan State University Libraries. Part of the MSU Libraries' Michigan Writers Series
The national army and armed groups in the eastern Congo: untangling the Gordian knot of Insecurity
No full textThe final report of the Usalama Project presents the conclusions of 18-month field research on the national army and armed groups in the eastern DRC in three parts: an analysis of armed mobilization, focusing on the region of North and South Kivu; an examination of the FARDC; and a critical review of past and current efforts in the field of demobilization and army reform. Written by Jason Stearns, Judith Verweijen and Maria Eriksson Baaz, the report finds that in the DRC’s current political order, the mobilization of armed groups and hence violence is an effective strategy to obtain power and control resources. Troubled army policies only contribute to armed mobilization. By repeatedly integrating armed groups into the FARDC, the government has not only provided incentives for further insurrection, it has effectively sanctioned impunity. Untangling this Gordian knot will require a comprehensive political and military strategy, aligning local, national, and international initiative
Poet and author Judith Kerman reads her selected works at the Michigan Writers Series
No full textPoet and author Judith Kerman reads selected poems, including the English translation of poems by Cuban poet Dulce Mar\ueda Loynaz, and answers questions from audience. Kerman is introduced by Michigan State University Librarian Jeanne Drewes. Part of the MSU Libraries' Michigan Writers Series. Held in the Main Library
Exploring boat operators' perceptions of taxation on the Congo River #PublicAuthority
Full text linkMaria Eriksson Baaz and Judith Verweijen's research among boat operators on the Congo River has given them a deeper insight into state-society relations in the Central African country
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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