Of the many watershed events after WWII, the decolonization of Africa from European dominion, from the 1950s to the 1970s, forged a new planet in the actual landscapes acting the liberation struggles. Vast swathes of the rural landscapes of Africa were transformed by military programs of forced villagization practiced by various North-Atlantic states, such as Britain in Malaysia and Kenya, France in Indochina and Algeria, and Portugal in Guinea-Bissau, Angola and Mozambique. This presentation explores the nature and history of forced villagization, from its inception as a “hearts and minds” military strategy in Malaya, to its late iteration as national development plan in Guinea. Showcasing original archival and field research, this project explores in detail how in Guinea-Bissau such a military program made use of dwelling architecture and urban planning to urbanize rural landscapes, while examining its legacies today.
Dr Rui Lebre developed this project in collaboration with a collection of researchers in the field, funded by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology. If you wish to know more about the project or discuss about potential collaboration, please contact Dr Rui Lebre Rui.Lebre@bcu.ac.uk.