Title
Intergenerational land conflict in northern Uganda: children, customary law and return migration
DOI
10.1017/S0001972017000559
Abstract
Northern Uganda is in transition after the conflict that ended in 2006. While its cities are thriving and economic opportunities abound, the social institutions governing land access are contested, the land administration system is changing, and the mechanisms available to address conflicts over resources have themselves become a venue for authority claims. This article examines the intergenerational nature of land conflicts in northern Uganda, focusing on the interplay of customary law, return migration and the development of a market in land. There are three contributions to existing literature: (1) a discussion of children's property rights under customary and statute law in Uganda; (2) the identification of the dual nature of children during complex emergencies as both victims and agents; and (3) an addition to knowledge on post-conflict return and community reconstruction. Evidence comes from several sources, the most important of which are a set of interviews conducted in Gulu and Kampala in May and June 2015. Secondary sources augment the field research, particularly survey research conducted in northern Uganda after the conflict.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2018
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2018 Cambridge University Press. This article first appeared in Africa 88:1 (2018), 81-98.
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Recommended Citation
Joireman, Sandra F. "Intergenerational land conflict in northern Uganda: children, customary law and return migration." Africa 88, no. 01 (2018): 81-98. doi:10.1017/s0001972017000559.