Wendy James 1940-2024
By John Ryle Wendy James, who died in Oxford on 27 April, was one of the outstanding anthropologists of her generation. In a trilogy of immaculate field-work based monographs she chronicled the culture and history of the Uduk people of the Sudan-Ethiopia borderlands, bringing this intriguing marginalized group into the written record. And when trouble […]
Traditional Narratives of South Sudanese on Climate Change
This blog explores traditional narratives of South Sudanese on climate change, their lived experiences, as well as perceptions on appropriate responses to the impacts of climate change. Introduction This blog is about traditionally oriented perceptions of climate change in Juba City, where most climate change narratives begin from a cultural perspective associated with the existence of […]
Causes of intercommunal conflicts in Lakes State, South Sudan
In this blog, Maketh traces the roots of intercommunal conflicts in Lakes State, South Sudan to the legacies of war, dowry demands and climate change, and subsequently calls for reconciliation processes and skills training in order to mitigate the conflicts. By Maketh Deng Introduction Lakes State had a population of about 700,000 at the time […]
2024 Annual Courses
Applications are open for our annual field courses. This year our three courses on the Great Lakes, the Horn of Africa, and Sudan and South Sudan will be held at a tranquil location in Kilifi in Kenya. Our three-day residential courses offer critical analysis on the current political, social and economic dynamics of these regions, taught by leading academics, […]
SOUTH SUDAN: DELIVERING GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ZERO TOLERANCE FOR CORRUPTION
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Putting good governance into effect in the nascent state of South Sudan has proven to be a nightmare, largely due to the presence of recalcitrant public institutions where public affairs and resources are unethically executed, undermining other institutional efforts to fight corruption. This paper examines the forces hindering the fight against corruption in […]
WAR AND THE BORDERLAND: NORTHERN BAHR EL-GHAZAL DURING THE SUDAN CONFLICT
The devastating war in Sudan between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has also had a profound impact on the country’s neighbours, particularly South Sudan. This is especially the case for areas that border Sudan, including Upper Nile, the Ruweng Administrative Area, and Northern Bahr el-Ghazal (NBG). RVI has been working […]
ELEPHANTS ARE STORIES NOW
UNDERSTANDING THE LOSS OF ELEPHANTS IN SOUTH SUDAN Introduction Elephants are iconic animals in South Sudan, featuring on bank notes and state flags and in many myths and sayings. ‘When the elephants fight, the grass suffers’ is one example widespread across the African continent: a popular expression about the effects that conflicts among political and […]
ETHICAL RESEARCH IN SOUTH SUDAN: A STATEMENT FROM ACADEMICS AND RESEARCHERS
In August 2022, a group of South Sudanese academics, early-career researchers, independent research consultants, research assistants and professors gathered at the Rift Valley Institute in Juba to discuss ethical principles and practices for an equal, vibrant research community in South Sudan. The meeting built on discussions on ethical research that RVI has been engaged in […]
THE REMAINS OF THE JPA: THE UNLEARNT LESSONS OF THE JUBA PEACE AGREEMENT
SUMMARY At its signing in October 2020, it was hoped that the Juba Peace Agreement (JPA) would finally address the root causes of the conflicts in Sudan. Three years later, it is clear that the most important legacy of the JPA is a continuation of the transactional politics that had characterised the reign of Omar […]
PAYING FOR PEACE: THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF THE JUBA PEACE AGREEMENT
SUMMARY Sudan’s economy is based on resources that have been exploited via violence rather than through peaceful, sustainable means. As a result, those who have benefited are those who control the means of violence. Furthermore, the inequalities in wealth, power and human development between Sudan’s moneyed center and its diverse and impoverished peripheries are profound. […]