Fractured Pasts in Lake Kivu’s Borderlands

‘This book provides a compelling historical argument that will undoubtedly rejuvenate debates on the inviolability of borders in Africa. Original and highly nuanced, Gillian Mathys helps us understand the necessity of decolonizing borders, identities, and their state-centric perspectives through narratives from the margins.' Aymar Nyenyezi Bisoka, co-author of Field Research in Africa: The Ethics of Researcher Vulnerabilities

‘A provocative study that upends mainstream scholarship, Mathys' monograph challenges the very notion of an impervious border around Lake Kivu, opting instead to view that borderland as porous, fluid, and capacious. A must-read study that avoids the politics and pitfalls of presentism and tells an empathetic story that demystifies the language of autochthony.' Didier Gondola, author of Tropical Cowboys: Youth Gangs, Violence, and Masculinities in Colonial Kinshasa

‘Essential reading for all interested in long Great Lakes histories with several new and compelling interpretive approaches.' Nancy Rose Hunt, author of A Nervous State

‘In this bold, meticulously-researched book, Mathys offers new perspectives on contemporary conflicts involving Rwanda and eastern DRC. Her nuanced analysis shows how colonial policies and strategies of local people altered formerly fluid identities and mobility, and increased awareness of political/ethnic identity. Covering a wide range of societies and impressive time depth, this essential contribution demonstrates why we need sustained historical analysis to understand identity-based conflict and violence.' Catharine Newbury, Gwendolen Carter Professor Emerita of African Studies & Professor Emerita of Government, Smith College