Doctoral Dissertation Research: Theorizing Rural Land Disputes

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In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, rising food prices prompted key players in the agribusiness industry to invest in land across the Global South. Large-scale land investments are often touted for providing local communities with access to capital, employment opportunities, and higher crop yields. Research suggests, however, that these investments are often accompanied by forced evictions, loss of livelihoods, and food insecurity. The link between large-scale land investments, food security, and peace remains poorly understood. Understanding this link has the potential to inform U.S. efforts to promote development and political stability in regions where food security and broader notions of security are intimately tied. This project contributes toward such an understanding by examining the local impact of large-scale land investments in northern Sudan, where Saudi, Egyptian and Emirati investors have recently acquired large tracts of land to grow food for export. In particular, it explores the social transformations set in motion by these land deals in Sudan's agricultural Gezira region. The research will be carried out by Stanford University anthropology doctoral student, Nisrin Elamin Abdelrahman, under the supervision of Dr. James Ferguson. Through a 12-month ethnographic study in two Gezira communities, the researcher will closely examine the role local leaders play in mediating community efforts to reclaim access to lands leased to foreign investors. She will observe dispute mediations in and outside of court settings. She will also participate in the day-to-day activities of small farmers and landless agricultural workers who are negotiating the opportunities and losses produced by recent changes in land ownership. Finally, she will trace the development of a campaign led by civil society organizations aimed at building national awareness around land rights. Data will be collected using participant observation, interviews, life histories, dispute mediation observations, and archival research. The findings can inform policy efforts to better address the context-specific impact of large-scale land investments on local people's lives. By highlighting how local leadership is mobilized to prevent conflicts over land and to broaden access to it, this research will help advance both the study and practice of peace-building in the wider region. Funding this research also supports the training of a graduate student.