Journal Archives

How can civil society support reconciliations and civil engagement in Somalia?

Author: and

This article explores the role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in furthering bilateral attempts by Somali regimes and the international community in restoring peace and functional social institutions in Somalia. It highlights how an inclusive reconciliation process that covers social actors and stakeholders can repair the eroded trust and fosters peaceful coexistence. The core discourse focuses on the roles played by CSOs in the negotiation and bridging gaps between communities and the government through a fair and equitable non-partisan framework for restoring peace in Somalia. The emphasis will be placed on the sociocultural dynamics CSOs can bring within the context of the process to bridge social and political gaps created by decades of civil strife. The article concluded that a quest for sustainable peace, institutional development, and effective governance requires equitable contributions and representation of the CSOs and local communities’ stakeholders. Most efforts put forth by political elites in the government and the international community have faced lot of resistance because of competing interests. Therefore, it is of vital importance that political elites, community leaders, and regional bodies encourage the participation of Somali CSOs and stakeholders in all aspects of the post-conflict socio-economic and political reconstruction. The article suggests a new approach to redefine CSO roles in the reconciliation process and rehabilitation of sociopolitical and economic challenges posed by decades of the ongoing political and civil unrest in the country.

Keywords: , , , , ,
Issue: Volume 13, Issue 2, 2019

Spatiality of ethnic identity and construction of sociopolitical interaction in South Sudan

Author:

This article explores the complexity of the spatial construction of ethnicity, identity, and sociopolitical interaction among South Sudanese ethnic groups. The article focuses on the interplay between social interaction and the construction of ethnic identity as they affect the notion of human interaction and welfare. The narratives are based on the political sociology of South Sudan after its independence from Sudan and challenges endured in the process of sociopolitical transformation towards the reconstruction of national identity and peaceful coexistence. This discourse gives meaning to visible and invisible ethno-cultural constructions that shaped the norms of social and political interactions among various ethnic groups in the country. The analysis concluded that South Sudan society is socially, politically, and culturally constructed along ethnicized communities with variant perceptions of group and regional identities based on both primordial ties and instrumentalists’ perceptions. These unique characteristics of spaces and construction of social structure has created multifaceted challenges in the process of social, economic and political reconstruction after the independent of South Sudan in July 2011.

Keywords: , , , , , ,
Issue: Volume 11, Issue 2, 2017
About journal

Title: Human Geographies - Journal of Studies and Research in Human Geography
ISSN online: 2067-2284
ISSN print: 1843-6587
Imprint: University of Bucharest
Frequency: Biannual (May&November)
First volume: 1/2007
Current volume: 17/2023
Language: English
Indexed in: SCOPUS, ERIH PLUS, EBSCO (SocINDEX), ProQuest (Social Science Journals, SciTech Journals, Natural Science Journals), Index Copernicus, National Technical Information Service (NTiS), Bodleian Libraries, ExLibris SFX, DOAJ, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Library, Google Scholar, Ulrich
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EDITORS


Prof. dr. Liliana Dumitrache
University of Bucharest, Faculty of Geography- Human and Economic Geography Department, 1 Nicolae Balcescu Av., 010041, Bucharest, Romania

Dr. Daniela Dumbrăveanu
University of Bucharest, Faculty of Geography- Human and Economic Geography Department, 1 Nicolae Balcescu Av., 010041, Bucharest, Romania

Dr. Mariana Nae
University of Bucharest, Faculty of Geography- Human and Economic Geography Department, 1 Nicolae Balcescu Av., 010041, Bucharest, Romania

Dr. Gabriel Simion
University of Bucharest, Faculty of Geography- Human and Economic Geography Department, 1 Nicolae Balcescu Av., 010041, Bucharest, Romania

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