SOAS Research Online

A Free Database of the Latest Research by SOAS Academics and PhD Students

[skip to content]

Trapido, Joe (2021) '‘Masterless Men’; Riots, Patronage and the Politics of the Surplus Population in Kinshasa.' Current Anthropology, 62 (2). pp. 198-217.

[img]
Preview
Text - Accepted Version
Download (441kB) | Preview

Abstract

On the basis of fieldwork in Kinshasa, this essay makes a link between riots, the recent anthropology of “surplus populations,” and distributive politics in low-income countries, especially Africa. Tracing the history of a political demonstration turned riot, it shows how distribution structures the interactions between rich and poor in the city. Situating the riot in a context in which subjects are dependent on the market for goods but are not able to sell their labor, the essay shows the riot to be a rational intervention in a place where elites do not see popular support as especially important and where occupying space and controlling circulation and distribution are the primary political-economic imperatives.

Item Type: Journal Article
Keywords: DRC, Riots, Surplus populations, political anthropology.
SOAS Departments & Centres: Departments and Subunits > Department of Anthropology & Sociology
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology
ISSN: 00113204
Copyright Statement: This is the version of the article/chapter accepted for publication in Current Anthropology, 62 (2). pp. 198-217 published by the University of Chicago Press. Re-use is subject to the publisher’s terms and conditions
DOI (Digital Object Identifier): https://doi.org/10.1086/713765
Date Deposited: 02 Oct 2019 07:55
URI: https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/id/eprint/31650
Funders: Economic and Social Research Council, British Academy

Altmetric Data

Statistics

Download activity - last 12 monthsShow export options
Downloads since deposit
6 month trend
53Downloads
6 month trend
177Hits
Accesses by country - last 12 monthsShow export options
Accesses by referrer - last 12 monthsShow export options

Repository staff only

Edit Item Edit Item