This contribution aims to approach the theme of a traveling Islam by starting frommoving people and considering how their religious “luggage”—in terms of beliefs,ideas, and practices—travels with... Show moreThis contribution aims to approach the theme of a traveling Islam by starting frommoving people and considering how their religious “luggage”—in terms of beliefs,ideas, and practices—travels with them and what this means for the circulation ofreligious ideas in Africa and beyond. The paper focuses particularly on Senegalesemigrants of the Murid Sufi order residing in Italy and the Netherlands; it investigateshow their religious luggage is important to them in the migration context and maycirculate further from there. In addition, it explores how their religious luggage ismoulded in, and through, their migration experiences: for instance, its meaning maychange, or another layer may be added. Finally, ideas on (the force of) the Muridiyyamay travel back to Senegal, adding other layers to the meaning of religion there as well. Show less
This contribution aims to approach the theme of a traveling Islam by starting from moving people and considering how their religious “luggage”—in terms of beliefs, ideas, and practices—travels with... Show moreThis contribution aims to approach the theme of a traveling Islam by starting from moving people and considering how their religious “luggage”—in terms of beliefs, ideas, and practices—travels with them and what this means for the circulation of religious ideas in Africa and beyond. The paper focuses particularly on Senegalese migrants of the Murid Sufi order residing in Italy and the Netherlands; it investigates how their religious luggage is important to them in the migration context and may circulate further from there. In addition, it explores how their religious luggage is moulded in, and through, their migration experiences: for instance, its meaning may change, or another layer may be added. Finally, ideas on (the force of) the Muridiyya may travel back to Senegal, adding other layers to the meaning of religion there as well. Show less
Guinée was the only French colony that, bravely or foolishly, refused a close collaboration with France at the time of its independence. This choice was a political shock on an international scale.... Show moreGuinée was the only French colony that, bravely or foolishly, refused a close collaboration with France at the time of its independence. This choice was a political shock on an international scale. The famous “Non!” by Guinée’s leader Sékou Touré marked the beginning of a socialist era in which the regime slowly developed into a dictatorship on the one hand, but on the other hand became an internationally regarded leading voice in the global struggle for decolonization. Stamps from the first years after Guinée’s independence in 1958 do not strongly attest to any political fervor inspired by the “Non!” It is argued that Guinée’s stamps of the years after independence feature the country’s first steps in the international world order and illustrate the country’s search for a respected position in international politics. A comparison with neighboring state Mali shows, however, that Guinée’s stamps do actively attest to the governments’ national and international political concerns. Show less
Sutura (discretion, modesty) is a central element in Senegalese Wolof culture that, among other things, promotes feminine honour through chastity, silence with regard to discussing sexuality with... Show moreSutura (discretion, modesty) is a central element in Senegalese Wolof culture that, among other things, promotes feminine honour through chastity, silence with regard to discussing sexuality with elders, and refraining from articulating same-sex desires in general. Consequently, sutura is seen as limiting the space for non-normative sexualities. However, lesbiennes in Senegal strategically employ sutura to navigate this gender and sexual normativity, whereby they queer the initially heteronormative framework. This article explores how, at the frontiers of international sexual rights activism and its antithetical Islamic social code, young women open new avenues for thinking queer Africa. The article explores young women's diverse tactics to turn sutura from a heteronormative framework into a vehicle for queer expression. These women demonstrate the constant yet indeterminate possibilities to negotiate between normative expectations and queer lives. They furthermore propose an alternative to the international queer frontier of overt resistance and protest, and suggest that the silences that sutura prescribe are more productive for queering their urban environment. By balancing the simultaneous desires of same-sex intimacies, family life, societal expectations and urban success, these women are pioneers in offering new routes for ‘queering queer Africa’, as Stella Nyanzi has described it.Résumé: Sutura (discrétion, modestie) est un élément central de la culture wolof sénégalaise qui, entre autres choses, valorise l'honneur féminin à travers la chasteté, le silence (en ne parlant pas de sexualité avec ses aînés) et le fait de s'abstenir de parler de désirs homosexuels en général. Par voie de conséquence, on pense que sutura limite l'espace réservé aux sexualités non normatives. Or, les femmes lesbiennes sénégalaises emploient le concept de sutura de manière stratégique pour naviguer cette normativité sexuelle et de genre, moyennant quoi elles opèrent une queerization du cadre initialement hétéronormatif. Cet article explore comment, aux frontières du militantisme international pour les droits sexuels et de son code social islamique antithétique, les jeunes femmes ouvrent de nouvelles pistes pour penser l'Afrique queer. L'article explore les diverses tactiques qu'utilisent les jeunes femmes pour transformer le cadre hétéronormatif du sutura en mode d'expression queer. Ces femmes démontrent la possibilité constante mais indéterminée de négocier entre les attentes normatives et la vie queer. Elles proposent ainsi une alternative à une approche internationale flagrante de résistance et de protestation queer, et suggèrent que les silences prescrits par le concept de sutura sont plus productifs pour la queerization de leur environnement urbain. Entre désirs d'intimité homosexuelle, vie de famille, attentes de la société et réussite urbaine, ces femmes sont des pionnières qui ouvrent de nouvelles voies à ce que Stella Nyanzi décrit comme « la queerization de l'Afrique queer ». Show less
Noon vowel harmony shows the remarkable property of invariance in the affixes while exposing ATR variation in roots only. We show that the ATR harmony is no longer active and that the variation in... Show moreNoon vowel harmony shows the remarkable property of invariance in the affixes while exposing ATR variation in roots only. We show that the ATR harmony is no longer active and that the variation in stems due to dominant suffixes is best analysed as lexical stem variants for different derivational suffixes. This is shown to be the relict of an erstwhile fuller vowel harmony system. Show less
As an undergraduate in cultural anthropology at Leiden University in 1964, Hans van den Breemer was asked to participate in a research project on the most efficient distribut¡on of new water wells... Show moreAs an undergraduate in cultural anthropology at Leiden University in 1964, Hans van den Breemer was asked to participate in a research project on the most efficient distribut¡on of new water wells in rural Niger. This brought him unforgettable contact with Hausa people and to some extent also with Fula and Touareg. A second defining experience was his research, from 1972 * L974, on agr¡cultural innovation among the Aouan of lvory Coast. This resulted in his doctoral dissertation "Onze Aarde houdt niet van Rijst" (Our Earth does not like Rice). The third phase of his anthropological career began in 1986 with his role in organ¡zing and supervising the research trainings ¡n Senegal and The Gambia for cultural anthropology and development sociology studenE from Leiden University. This participation led to close contacts w¡th Mandinka people predominantly, but also with people of Diakhanke, Fula, Wolof, Soninke, Serer and other origins. This book focuses on the third and last phase of his professional career. The dual aim of his participation in the training - coaching students and doing research himself- is reflected in this book. Van den Breemer shares the training staff's ideas and his personal motivations and exper¡ences with regard to the superuision and coaching of young students embarking on the¡r first anthropological research in an unfamiliar culture. He also offers his personal reflections on rural society in Senegal, its structure, social processes and problems. In an account sure to engage anthropologists and non-anthropologists alike, Hans van den Breemer reveals the realities of anthropological fieldwork and the kinds of understandings it may lead to. Show less
Intensified and competing claims over land are crucial to understanding current urban transformations in Africa. This paper aims to highlight the role of transnational migrants in urban land... Show moreIntensified and competing claims over land are crucial to understanding current urban transformations in Africa. This paper aims to highlight the role of transnational migrants in urban land investments and claim making on urban land. While the relationship between urbanization in Africa and migration has long been a focus of research and policy, attention had mainly focused on the intertwinement between rising urbanization and the in flux of rural migrants, internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees struggling to survive and gain access to urban space and services. More recently, the African city has gained a more positive image as a consequence of Africa's economic boom and has come to be seen as a pillar of development, rather than a place of chaos and poverty. In this 'urban turn' in development thinking and concomitant technocratic and infrastructural policy approaches, the link between urbanization and migration has been largely overlooked. We argue, however, that transnational migrants in particular are an important category in claim-making processes over urban land and real estate and add to these in specific ways. Using case studies in Khartoum and Dakar, we investigate the ways in which transnational migrants contribute to speculation, rising land values and processes of socio-spatial inclusion and exclusion. Rather than making a comparative analysis, we use two concrete cases to gain an empirical understanding of the processes associated with these diaspora investments, including the question of whether these transnational migrants can be considered as contributing to urban 'land grabs' or not. Show less
This book provides a grammatical description of Noon, an Atlantic language spoken by fewer than 32,000 people in 33 villages and neighborhoods in the outskirts of Thiès. The study, based primarily... Show moreThis book provides a grammatical description of Noon, an Atlantic language spoken by fewer than 32,000 people in 33 villages and neighborhoods in the outskirts of Thiès. The study, based primarily on new data collected by the author, provides an analysis on phonology, morphology, nominal classification, verbal system, ideophones, interjections and linguistic routines, syntax and divination systems. This work constitutes an important step forward in the nominal classification system. There are two nominal class systems in Noon: a Niger-Congo agreement system for modifiers that are attached to the head noun and another system for independent modifiers. The second nominal class system, based on human and diminutive semantic features, has an additional agreement singular/plural class pair for human nouns. The author also describes the divination practices in Noon by presenting an overview of divination systems in Senegal based on audio/video recordings collected in a natural setting. This empirical work, carried out in a linguistic and multimodal perspective, allows to focus first on the forms of divination of Noon, then on their meanings and expressions, and finally on some characteristic features in divination practices. Show less
In this thesis, the (mal) functioning of the Senegalese state in the context of conflict (the Casamance crisis) is analyzed through four domains namely local administration, the security sectors,... Show moreIn this thesis, the (mal) functioning of the Senegalese state in the context of conflict (the Casamance crisis) is analyzed through four domains namely local administration, the security sectors, the borders and the communication domain where high ‘state density’ is expected in order to maintain its authority and sovereignty. However, the grip of the state on the social body remains weak and its powers are very limited in these sectors leading to necessary and continuous negotiations with other actors (traditional leaders, rebels, NGO, etc.), which sometimes are a serious threat to the state’s authority and are a symptom of its fragility. By using the metaphor of a sponge, hence the concept of “the Spontex State”, I demonstrate that, paradoxically, states in Africa in general, and the Senegalese state in particular, are keen to strategize their weakness. Their sponge-like characteristics permit a form of retractability. It allows absorbing and resisting forces that contest its power. Its retractability helps the state to avoid, at least partially, more serious confrontations with various actors. The capacity of retention and retraction of the sponge, reflected in the state, leads to great flexibility, through which the state sustains it grip and, ultimately, reinforces its overall authority. Show less
In Africa, polyparasitism is the rule rather than the exception. The aim of this thesis was to get a detailed insight into the micro-geographical distribution and patterns of S. mansoni and S.... Show moreIn Africa, polyparasitism is the rule rather than the exception. The aim of this thesis was to get a detailed insight into the micro-geographical distribution and patterns of S. mansoni and S. haematobium co-infections, and how this affects host morbidity. A community-wide study was carried out in a co-endemic focus in the north of Senegal, combining epidemiological, ecological, immunological, and geographical analyses. This multidisciplinary approach led to several new insights. Spatial analyses showed significant clustering of Schistosoma infection and morbidity even on a micro scale; S. mansoni and S. haematobium hotspots were found in different sections of one community. Another major finding was that the presence of S. mansoni in co-infections might protect against S. haematobium-specific urinary tract morbidity. Furthermore, it was observed that S. haematobium antigens induced stronger cytokine responses than those of S. mansoni, indicating that the first species may be more immunogenic. The results of this thesis provide new leads for further research on disease etiology and underlying mechanisms in Schistosoma co-infections. Such knowledge is key to rationalizing and optimizing current schistosomiasis control strategies in co-endemic areas and to developing successful elimination strategies in the future. Show less
Vlaminck, Z.; Dekker, M.; Leliveld, A.H.M.; Oberst, U. 2014
This edited volume focuses on mobile phone use in specific African communities, namely those that have a long history of mobility and are regarded as marginal in the national economic, social and... Show moreThis edited volume focuses on mobile phone use in specific African communities, namely those that have a long history of mobility and are regarded as marginal in the national economic, social and/or political context. It was in such regions that the most intensive dynamics were expected to be seen following the introduction of the mobile phone. Contributions: Introduction: mobile margins and the dynamics of communication (Mirjam de Bruijn, Inge Brinkman and Francis Nyamnjoh); Mobilit‚ et moyens de communication au Gu‚ra (Chad) (Djimet Seli); La connexion des marges: marginalit‚ politique et technologie de d‚senclavement en Basse Casamance (Sud du S‚n‚gal) (Fatima Diallo); 'Angola my country, Cape Town my home': a young migrant's journey of social becoming and belonging (Imke Gooskens); Transnational migration and marginality: Nigerian migrants in anglophone Cameroon (Tangie Nsoh Fonchingong); Les femmes hadjaraye du Gu‚ra … l'‚cole de l'alphab‚tisation (Khalil Alio); From foot messengers to cell phones: communication in Kom, Cameroon, c. 1916-1998 (Walter Gam Nkwi); Grandeur ou misŠres des cabines t‚l‚phoniques priv‚es et publiques au Mali (Naffet Ke‹ta); Informationandcommunication technology and its impact on transnational migration: the case of Senegalese boat migrants (Henrietta Nyamnjoh); Identities of place: mobile naming practices and social landscapes in Sudan (Siri Lamoureux). [ASC Leiden abstract] Show less
Ce volume collectif rassemble les résultats de travaux menés par des chercheurs sénégalais et néerlandais selon trois axes de recherche concernant le Sénégal: la relation entre islam et politique,... Show moreCe volume collectif rassemble les résultats de travaux menés par des chercheurs sénégalais et néerlandais selon trois axes de recherche concernant le Sénégal: la relation entre islam et politique, la relation entre islam et économie, le rôle de l'islam dans le débat public sur la bonne gouvernance. Faisant suite à une introduction par Mayke Kaag intitulée 'Islam et engagements au Sénégal', les textes des contributions ont pour titre: Islam et politique au Sénégal: logique d'articulation et de co-production (Cheikh Guèye et Abdourahmane Seck) - Les usages des liens confrériques religieux dans l'économie sénégalaise (Abdou Salam Fall) - Islam et espace public au Sénégal: les acteurs religieux dans l'amélioration du débat public sur la bonne gouvernance (Mamadou Bodian et El Hadj Malick Sy Camara) - L'implication des acteurs islamiques dans la lutte contre le sida au Sénégal: étude de cas de l'ONG Jmara (Selly Ba). Show less
The world is regularly confronted in the media with dramatic images of African boat migrants. Seemingly desperate, these Africans, most of them males, are willing to risk a perilous journey at sea,... Show moreThe world is regularly confronted in the media with dramatic images of African boat migrants. Seemingly desperate, these Africans, most of them males, are willing to risk a perilous journey at sea, hoping for a better life in Europe. And, even worse, hundreds more are believed to die each year, swallowed up anonymously by the choppy waters off Africa's coast. This book focuses on fishermen who have played a pivotal role in boat migration from Senegal to Spain's Canary Islands, advancing various reasons for the fishermen's prominent role. Besides their long history of migration, their proven experience with navigating, their family's push and investment, their perceptions and ideologies about Europe, there is also their growing marginalization as a result of the deepening crisis in the Senegalese fishing sector and the inadequate policies of the Senegalese government that prevents them from having any bright prospects of improving their standards of living. The book provides insights into the meaning of boat migration, and on the effects of success or failure on the migrants and their families. It goes beyond the usual economic explanations to convincingly situate boat migration within the long-standing West African culture of migration, and highlight the significance of sociocultural and political factors. Among the findings are the perception of migration as status enhancing and a rite de passage in the Senegalese fishing communities, and the profound roles of the extended family, social networks and, above all, religion, especially the widespread influence of the marabout. The importance of information and communication technologies in sustaining transnational networks is equally highlighted. [Book abstract] Show less
This Masters thesis is the winner of the ASC's Africa Thesis Award 2009. It examines the decision-making process of Senegalese men to make use of the dangerous boat journey to the Canary Islands in... Show moreThis Masters thesis is the winner of the ASC's Africa Thesis Award 2009. It examines the decision-making process of Senegalese men to make use of the dangerous boat journey to the Canary Islands in an effort to reach Europe. Moving beyond conventional micro- and macro-theories on migration decision-making, this study focuses at the meso-level by which the embeddedness of migrants' decision-making in ongoing social contacts is considered. The study draws on ethnographic research among unsuccessful boat migrants in Dakar, Senegal. The data collected suggests two models of migration decision-making, revealing variations in social processes that are central to the workings of undocumented migration.Miranda Poeze studied cultural anthropology at the Free University in Amsterdam. She is currently a PhD student at Maastricht University. Show less
This article examines the ways in which women construct expert status and gain authority as marabouts among a largely sceptical suburban population. The experiences of two female marabouts in... Show moreThis article examines the ways in which women construct expert status and gain authority as marabouts among a largely sceptical suburban population. The experiences of two female marabouts in surburban Dakar highlight how expertise is negotiated, legitimated, and publicly recognized. The author suggests that the women’s success can be explained by migration and urbanization: the suburban environment, filled with migrants looking for their livelihood in an insecure place, creates opportunities for women to engage actively in esoteric Islamic practices. Show less
