Lecturers publish anthology ‘Negotiating Tenure Rights’

The book “Negotiating Tenure Rights: Gender and Land Commodification in Africa” published recently (October 2024) features articles from four lectures of our Social Science Faculty: Prof. Dr. Ulrike Schultz, Dr. Jill Blau, Dr. Annette Witherspoon and Isaac Adjei (PhD Candidate).

The book is a product of collaboration efforts between colleagues at our Faculty of Social Sciences and colleagues at the Centre for Gender Research, Advocacy, and Documentation at University of Cape Coast, Ghana. This collaboration realised a series of summer schools between 2016 and 2018. These summer schools, hosted by the Centre for Gender Research, Advocacy, and Documentation (CGRAD), provided a fertile ground for dialogue and explored pressing issues related to gender and land rights. Generously funded by the Volkswagen Foundation, these gatherings fostered critical discussions that led to the creation of this publication.

“Negotiating Tenure Rights” is a rich compilation of case studies that probe into the multifaceted nature of gendered land rights amidst the evolving landscape of land tenure commodification and significant social and economic shifts across Africa. The contributors take an intersectional lens, and draw on diverse examples from Ghana, Ethiopia, Madagascar, and South Africa. Each case shedding light on the intricate realities faced by people in these distinct contexts. The varied perspectives, presented in the case studies, underscore the urgent need to consider local conditions and cultural nuances when analysing land rights.

The book is edited by, Prof. Akua O. Britwum – now retired former director of the CGRAD – and Prof. Ulrike Schultz, Head of the Development Studies program at Friedensau Adventist University. It was published in English as part of the ‘Labor and Globalisation’ series. It comprises 172 pages and costs 29.00 euros. Webshop.