Baskouda Simon
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Baskouda S.K. Shelley is a post-doctoral researcher for the Swiss Confederation Excellence Scholarship (FCS/ESKAS) 2023 – 2024 at the University of Geneva. He is hosted by Prof. Frederic Giraut at the Department of Geography and Environment. He is also a lecturer in the Department of History at the Higher Teachers’ Training College – HTTC, the University of Maroua, Cameroon. |
Research
The current project entitled: “Other spaces, political hegemony and cultural goods consumption in Mandara Highlands (Northern Cameroon)” discuss the connection that can be established between space, power and food consumption in Mandara Highlands (Northern Cameroon) since the early 1990s. The main argument is that since the liberalization of social field in Cameroon (Sindjoun 1996: 57–58), there have been attempts to reverse the relationship of domination between Mountain Dwellers and Islamo Fulani (David 2014: 373; MacEachern 2015). This has been reflected in the spreading of dedicated markets for products unsuitable to consumption (dog, horse, pork meats and millet beer) and in ways of desacralization of symbols of Fulani Islamic culture (horse, cemetery, royal court, etc.). The research question is to understand the mechanisms by which emphasis on spaces formerly at the margins of society makes it possible to convey the domination interactions between Mountain Dwellers and Islamo Fulani in Mandara Highlands. It should be highlighted that the historical pathway of Tokombéré as cosmopolitan space, since the 11th century and the Jihad launched by Ousman Dan Fodio in 1806 (Delancey, Mbuh and Delancey 2010: 19–20), reflects Mountain Dwellers’ resistance to Fulani Islamic hegemony (Bigombé Logo 1993; Socpa 1999; Abwa 2007), making occupation of the territory a critical issue.
Research interests
Politics ; religion; toponymy; identities.
Publications
Book chapters
- 2023. “Encadrement des gens d’en bas et développement social : Héritage de Jean-Marc Ela à Tokombéré.” In Anatole Fogou et François Wassouni (Eds). L’Afrique de Cheikh Anta Diop, Frantz Fanon et Jean Marc Ela (pp. 323 – 341). Yaoundé, Cameroun : L’Harmattan Cameroun. ISBN-13: 978-2140484926
- 2022.“Alphabétisation et conscientisation des ‘gens d’en bas’ à Tokombéré (1970 – 1984).” In Célestin Monga (Ed). Jean-Marc Ela : Éthique et esthétique de la compassion (pp. 211 – 222). Paris, France : Karthala. ISBN-13: 978-2384090051
Scientific articles
- 2023. “Neotoponymy, Appropriation of Space and Youth Political Expression in Tokombéré, Northern Cameroon (1970 – 2011).” Journal of Asian and African Studies, 58(3): 322 – 337. DOI: 10.1177/00219096211063815
- 2022. “Catholic Missionary Work and ‘Political’ Support: The Tokombéré Youth Centre since 1974.” Africa Spectrum, 57(3): 282 – 300. DOI: 10.1177/00020397221112437
- 2022. “Rupture colonial, pouvoir des mots et vocabulaire politique des subalternes à Tokombéré (Nord Cameroun).” Canadian Journal of African Studies, 56(3): 617 – 636. DOI: 10.1080/00083968.2021.1963791
Dr Simon Baskouda
Post-doctorate researcher
A506
E-mail