The struggle over land in Africa : conflicts, politics [and] change

Highlighting the urgent problem of land disputes in Africa, this collection of essays also draws attention to the complex root causes of these conflicts and the challenges they present for the governance of both states and markets. Written by authors from academic, diplomatic, and political backgrounds, the book is an essential reference on the debate about land issues in Africa. The study provides a continental perspective in chapters that describe internal crises in Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, northern Cameroon, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Land Issues And Conflicts Occur All Over, All The Time On The African Continent And Continue To Mushroom On A Continuous Basis. Although Many Of These Issues Are Not New, They Do Continue To Change And Are Extremely Complex And Embedded, Which May Lead To The Inability To Deal With Them And To Questioning The Legitimacy Of The Forms Of Intervention And Prevention Of Conflicts. The Way In Which These Issues Are Dealt With Often Does Not Take Into Consideration Their Major (and Thus Potentially Recurring) Causes. The Struggle Over Land In Africa: Conflicts, Politics And Change Is A Compelling Book Which Analyses The Role Of Land As A Place And Source Of Conflict, Especially With Regard To Policy Development, Crisis Management And Post-war/post-conflict Reconstruction. The Authors' Main Aim Is To Gain Insight Into The Nature Of Policy-making Concerning Land And To Delve Into The Underlying Causes Of These Land Issues, Not Only At National Level But Also In Terms Of Broader Africa. The Book Covers Land Issues In Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Northern Cameroon, Namibia, Mozambique, Angola, Democratic Republic Of Congo, Tanzania And Zimbabwe. Some Of The Themes Explored In This Powerful Volume Include: Ethnic And Indigenous Land Conflicts, Traditionalism Versus Modernity, Renewed Land Interests, Land Use And Conflict, State Building, Politics And Land (for Example Agricultural Land Reform); Land Policy Development, Planning, Inclusiveness/non-inclusiveness; Regional Scopes Of Land Conflicts And Changing Norms. Introduction: The Struggle Over Land In Africa: Conflicts, Politics And Change / Ward Anseeuw And Chris Alden -- Theme 1: Ethnic And Indigenous Land Conflicts. 'indigenous' Land Claims In Kenya: A Case Study Of Chebyuk, Mount Elgon District / Claire Médard -- Shades Of Grey: Post-conflict Land Policy Reform In The Great Lakes Region / Chris Huggins -- Theme 2: Between 'traditionalism And Modernity': Insecurity, Privatisation And Marginalization. The Politics Of Communal Tenure Reform: A South African Case Study / Ben Cousins -- Karal Land: Family Cultural Patrimony Or A Commercialised Product On The Diamaré Plain? / Bernard Gonné -- Theme 3: Renewed Land Interests, Land Use, And Conflicts. The Conflicting Distribution Of Tourism Revenue As An Example Of Insecure Land Tenure In Namibian Communal Lands / Renaud Lapeyre -- Land Rights And Enclosures: Implementing The Mozambican Land Law In Practice / Christopher Tanner -- Biodiversity Conservation Against Small-scale Farming? Scientific Evidences And Emergence Of New Types Of Land Crises / Catherine E Laurent -- Theme 4: State Building, Politics And Land. The Role Of Land As A Site And Source Of Conflict In Angola / Jenny Clover -- Two Cycles Of Land Policy In South Africa: Tracing The Contours / Ruth Hall -- A Legal Analysis Of The Namibian Commercial Agricultural Land Reform Process / Willem Adriaan Odendaal -- Theme 5: Land Policy Development, Planning And (non- )inclusiveness. The Ituri Paradox: When Armed Groups Have A Land Policy And Peacemakers Do Not / Thierry Vircoulon -- Understanding Urban Planning Approaches In Tanzania: A Historical Transition Analysis For Urban Sustainability / Wakuru Magigi -- Theme 6: Regional Scopes Of Land Conflicts And Changing Norms. The Zimbabwe Crisis, Land Reform And Normalisation / Sam Moyo -- Regionalisation Of Norms And The Impact Of Narratives On Southern African Land Policies / Chris Alden And Ward Anseeuw. Edited By Ward Anseeuw & Chris Alden. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Land issues and conflicts occur all over the African continent, all the time. Stories regarding land mushroom on a continuous basis. Although many of them are not new, they continue to change and are extremely complex and embedded. This leads to difficulties in dealing with them and results in questions around legitimacy of forms of conflict intervention and prevention, many of which do not take into consideration the major - and thus potentially recurring - causes of conflict. It is on this basis that the conference forming the foundation of this book was organised. The struggle over land in Africa compellingly analyses the role of land as a place and source of conflict, especially in relation to policy issues, crisis management and post-war/post-conflict reconstruction. The authors' main aim is to gain insight into the nature of policy-making concerning land and to delve into the underlying causes of these land issues, not only at national level but also in terms of broader Africa. The book covers land issues in Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, northern Cameroon, Namibia, Mozambique, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Some of the themes explored in this powerful volume include: ethnic and indigenous land conflicts, traditionalism versus modernity, renewed land interests, land use and conflict, state building, politics and land (for example Agricultural land reform); land policy development, planning, inclusiveness/non-inclusiveness; regional scopes of land conflicts and changing norms