In this talk Dr Peer Schouten will present is book "Roadblock Politics" as part of the ERC funded project GlobalCORRIDOR project seminar series. It will be chaired by Dr Prince Guma and after the presentation there will be a discussion and questions. This event is jointly organised by the University of Sheffield Urban Institute / British Institute in Eastern Africa. It will take place online on Tuesday 5 December 1pm-2.15pm GMT. 

BOOK

Dr Peer Schouten’s Roadblock Politics: The Origins of Violence in Central Africa meticulously maps over a thousand of these roadblocks, demonstrating how communities, rebels, and state security forces derive resistance and power from their control over these narrow passageways. In doing so, he sheds light on the intricate relationship between roadblocks and what he terms "frictions of terrain" (p. 262), tracing the movements of multinational corporations and UN agencies through these checkpoints. These frictions vividly illustrate how rebels, locals, and state security forces interact in shaping or dismantling state authority and legitimacy. He introduces a fresh perspective for comprehending the forces behind state formation and conflict in the region, challenging conventional state theories and offering a new lens through which to understand the nature of statehood and local authority in Central Africa.

TALK

In this book talk, Schouten discusses his book, drawing upon roadblocks/blockages and politics, power, and resistance. He uncovers the intricate connections between these Central African roadblocks and the global supply chains and reveals how these roadblocks represent a unique form of power that thrives within the framework of supply chain capitalism.

BIO

Dr. Peer Schouten is a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) and an associate researcher at the International Peace Information Service (IPIS) in Antwerp. His research interests include, among others, the political economy of conflict, with a focus on roadblocks; the role of business in peace and conflict; mineral extraction and conflict economies; conflict and climate change; and the politics of logistics and infrastructure. He has extensive research experience in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan.