After a long-term decline in the frequency and lethality of famines, 2017 has witnessed resurgent international concern over the issue. This paper examines the trends in famine over the last 150 years, with particular attention to the fusion of famine with forcible mass starvation. It identifies four main historic periods of famines, namely: the zenith of European colonialism; the extended World War; post-colonial totalitarianism; and post-Cold War humanitarian emergencies; and asks whether we may be…
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CSRF Research Repository
The CSRF Research Repository aims to support greater contextual knowledge for policy makers, programme managers, and implementers by providing a searchable repository of research, analysis, and resources, and providing periodic updates on new research and analysis.
South Sudan became an independent state in 2011, separating from Sudan following decades of armed conflict. High hopes for South Sudan’s future were soon dashed when fighting broke out in December 2013, and optimism regarding South Sudan’s prospect for peace has now faded. The country is currently facing famine, ongoing conflict, persistent ethnic tensions and severe economic challenges. The humanitarian crisis and continued fighting across the country have led to large-scale forced displacement. This case…
This report presents the findings from a survey of land-related disputes in urban and peri-urban areas of South Sudan. From November to December 2016, the South Sudan Law Society (SSLS), in partnership with Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) and the State Land Alliances (SLA), interviewed 942 individuals in ten locations across the country. Findings from this study demonstrate that land-related disputes in urban environments are widespread, becoming increasingly difficult to resolve, and are re-enforcing demand for…
According to the largely stalled Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS) of 2015, a key component of the transitional security arrangement is the establishment of cantonment sites where fighters assemble to await disarmament, demobilization or force integration. The cantonment process was supposed to start soon after the signing of the agreement, but due to enormous delays in the implementation of the transitional security arrangements and the return of conflict in July 2016, the…
Vigilante groups have been successful in providing local security. But subcontracting security functions to vigilante groups for counter-insurgency purposes is a dangerous option for fragile African states. African leaders should set clear objectives and mandates when enlisting vigilantes and invest in disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programs. Drawing on four illustrative cases – Sierra Leone, Uganda’s Teso region, South Sudan’s former Western Equatoria State and Nigeria’s north east – this report seeks to shed light on…
The principle of non-refoulement is often regarded as being exclusively applicable in contexts of international cross-border displacement. But while the term refoulement did indeed gain recognition through its inclusion in the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, similar concepts can be found in a far more diverse set of legal frameworks whose protection extends well beyond the refugee sphere. This paper explores the principle of non-refoulement in the context of internal displacement, and…
In almost all societies today, including those in crisis, markets are a key determinant of household livelihoods and resilience. Market outcomes are a significant determinant of livelihood outcomes, and so understanding how crises affect markets and market relations is critical. However, humanitarian actors are thinking about markets mainly because of their instrumental use to aid, rather than as institutions critical to crisis-affected populations in and of themselves. This report collates findings across three case studies on what actually…
This briefing paper sheds light on some aspects of the conflict sensitivity of food aid in former Northern Bahr el Ghazal (NBeG). In contrast to other states, NBeG has been spared by large scale armed violence, but it is affected by a severe food security crisis that has forced tens of thousands of people to move to Sudan. Food insecurity has been chronic in NBeG, but has been further exacerbated by the economic crisis, large…
In early 2017, the government of South Sudan declared that parts of the country had been hit by severe famine. This famine was another sign of the many ways in which a disastrous war was killing people. South Sudan had at that point been in a civil war for three years, with the humanitarian situation steadily deteriorating since war broke out in December 2013. The governing Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and its army, the…
This paper aims to contribute to debates about humanitarian governance and insecurity in post-conflict situations. It takes the case of South Sudan to explore the relations between humanitarian agencies, the international community, and local authorities, and the ways international and local forms of power become interrelated and contested, and to what effect. The paper is based on eight months of ethnographic research in various locations in South Sudan between 2011 and 2013, in which experiences…
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