Introduction: conflict, land scarcity and tales of origin -- Autochthony, melancholy and uncertainty in contemporary African politics -- Liberia: civil war and the 'Mandingo question' -- Kenya: majimboism, Indigenous land claims and electoral violence -- Democratic Republic of Congo: 'dead certainty' in North Kivu -- Côte d'Ivoire: production and the politics of belonging -- Conclusion
Summary
This revealing new book explores the phenomenon of autochthony - literally 'son of the soil' - in African politics. In contemporary Africa, questions of origin are among the most crucial and contested political issues. Land claims and autochthony disputes are the hallmark of political crises in many places on the continent. This is an essential book for anyone wishing to understand the impact of autochthony on contemporary African politics and conflicts
