Living with the legacy of displacement
In this book, you will meet several individuals and families who experienced war and displacement during the civil war in northern Uganda (1986-2006). Based on ethnographic field research and specifically life histories, this book draws attention to their experiences and links these to broader analyses about ‘post-conflict’ society. It shows that displacement is more than a forced move from one geographical location to another, and that war and displacement have disrupted social life in more ways than is often acknowledged in policymaking and discourse surrounding displacement.
Focusing on these stories, the ‘why’ of non-return is investigated, the notion of a definite end to displacement and of the ability to ‘re’-turn in the first place is problematized, and it is thereby asked what it means to ‘be home’ in such a context. Additionally, some long-term effects of displacement are brought into focus by zooming in on social relationships within the household. The goal of this book is to lay bare the interface between structure and agency, and to centre the human experience in (the aftermath of) conflict, thereby highlighting laughter as well as sorrow.
About the author(s) / editor(s)
Juul Kwaks works as a junior researcher on a project entitled ‘Pedagogies of Peace and Conflict in the Great Lakes region’. Juul’s earlier work focused on the long-term effects of displacement on social life in northern Uganda. For this study she conducted field work and collected life histories. Juul’s main goal in research is to focus on the microlevel effects of conflict, thereby centring human beings and all their intricacies. In addition to her work at the ASCL, Juul works as a lecturer at the Political Science department of Leiden University.
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Posted on 2 March 2023, last modified on 5 April 2023