Staying on the margins: Konkomba mobility and belonging in Northern Ghana, 1914-1996
| dc.contributor.advisor | Roos, Neil | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Grilli, Matteo | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Daimon, Anusa | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kachim, Joseph Udimal | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-11-28T10:43:46Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-11-28T10:43:46Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2018-11 | |
| dc.description.abstract | English: This thesis examines Konkomba mobility and the contestations it generated about their belonging in northern Ghana. It analyses the social and political context within which this mobility occurred and argues that by moving across colonial and ethnic boundaries and further away from centres of power, the Konkomba placed themselves beyond the reach of state authorities. The thesis contends that whereas Konkomba spatial mobility was initially an instrument of resistance against state control, it became a source of marginality and exclusion from political and land rights in the postcolonial period. It further analyses the shifting British colonial policy, arguing that the nature and trajectory of British colonial experiment among the Konkomba were shaped not only by colonial initiatives but also by the Konkomba’s ability to subvert colonial rule through cross-border mobility. On the other hand, colonial policy also influenced the changing pattern and magnitude of Konkomba mobility. The thesis argues that the pattern of Konkomba mobility in the 1930s and 1940s has had a lasting impact not only on Konkomba status but also on the political and demographic history of the region. In addition, the thesis maintains that colonial state formation in northern Ghana produced a highly politicised form of ethnicity by pushing groups to redefine their feelings of belonging and identity in ethnic terms. It also analyses the tensions that emerged between the Konkomba and their host groups in the 1960s and 1970s as well as the differentiated ways in which they negotiated their inclusion in their host communities. Whereas in the 1990s, democratisation opened up political space for equal citizenship, it also excluded the Konkomba from land ownership and political rights. This fuelled tension between the Konkomba and their hosts. The thesis goes beyond explanations for mobility to contribute to debates around ethnic identity, belonging and democratisation in contemporary Africa, suggesting that there is the need to rethink the role of democratisation as a tool for empowering marginalised groups in Africa. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | Afrikaans: Hierdie tesis ondersoek Konkomba beweeglikheid en die betwisting wat die gegenereer het oor of hulle behoort in noord Ghana. Dit analiseer die sosiale en politieke konteks waarin hierdie beweeglikheid voorgekom het en argumenteer dat deur om oor koloniale en etniese grense en verder weg van die sentrums van mag te beweeg, die Konkomba hulself buite die bereik van staatsowerhede geplaas het. Hierdie tesis voer aan dat terwyl Konkomba se ruimtelike beweeglikheid oorspronklik `n instrument vir verset teen staatsbeheer was, dit `n bron van marginalisering en uitsluiting van politieke en grondregte vir die Konkomba in die post- koloniale periode geraak het. Dit analiseer koloniale beleid en demonstreer dat die Britse koloniale beleid konstant geskuif het van akkommodasie na gewelddadige onderdrukking. Deur hierdie verskuiwings in Britse beleid te onthul argumenteer hierdie tesis dat die aard en trajek van die Britse koloniale eksperiment onder die Konkomba nie net gevorm was deur die amptelike koloniale inisiatiewe nie, maar ook deur die Konkomba se vermoë om koloniale heerskappy ondermyn deur kruis-grens beweeglikheid. Aan die ander kant het koloniale beleid ook die patrone en omvang van Konkomba beweeglikheid beïnvloed. `n Ondersoek van die sensus opnames van noord Ghana wys dat die Konkomba met grootskaalse migrasie na areas suid van hulle tuislande betrokke was. Hierdie patroon en omvang van Konkomba beweeglikheid in die 1930s en 1940s het `n blywende impak op Konkomba-status gehad asook op die politieke en demografiese geskiedenis van hierdie streek. Daarbenewens voer hierdie tesis aan dat koloniale staatsvorming in noord Ghana `n hoogs verpolitiseerde vorm van etnisiteit geskep het en groepe is forseer om hul gevoelens van behoort en identiteit in etnisiteit te herdefinieer. Dit analiseer ook die spanning wat ontstaan het tussen die Konkomba en hulle gaheer-groepe in die 1960 en 1970s en die onderskeidelike wyses hoe die Konkomba hul insluiting in die gasheer-gemeenskappe onderhandel het. Terwyl demokratisering in die 1990s politieke ruimte oop gemaak het for gelyke burgerskap, het dit in dieselfde asem die Konkomba van grondbesit en politieke regte uitgesluit en sodoende die spanning tussen die Konkomba en hul gashere aangevuur. Hierdeur gaan hierdie tesis verder as `n verduideliking van beweeglikheid om by te dra tot die debatte rondom etniese identiteit, behoort, en demokratisering in kontemporêre Afrika en dui op die nood om die rol van demokratisering in die bemagtiging van gemarginaliseerde groepe in Afrika te heroorweeg. | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11660/10339 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Thesis (Ph.D. (Centre for Africa Studies))--University of the Free State, 2018 | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Konkombo mobility | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Northern Ghana | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Belonging | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Exclusion | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Staying on the margins: Konkomba mobility and belonging in Northern Ghana, 1914-1996 | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |