Social Fabric: Refugees’ Social Practices of Spatialization in Kyaka II

Schmidt, Hannah

doi:10.1007/978-3-658-41650-8_5

Hannah Schmidt²

86 Accesses

Abstract

Chapter 5 examines socio-spatial practices in Kyaka II, highlighting the formation of a social fabric through inhabitants' routine interactions and relations. It is shown how these interactions foster mutual support in alternative spaces of provisioning, and further establish knowledge spaces in which elementary yet unrecognized expertise on the camp is generated, translated and circulated. In consequence, refugees establish diverse social networks that play a vital role in closing gaps in humanitarian protection, facilitating knowledge sharing and providing emergency support. These networks become formalized and permanent, serving as a tangible social infrastructure. While this social infrastructure addresses gaps in care, the contributions of inhabitants are not officially acknowledged due to hierarchical structures and the prioritization of formal knowledge over practical expertise.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Chapter: USD 29.95; Price excludes VAT (USA)

eBook: USD 79.99; Price excludes VAT (USA)

Softcover Book: USD 99.99; Price excludes VAT (USA)

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

1.
DR Congo, M, I, Byabakora, EED, 11/11/2016, Kyaka II.
2.
DR Congo, M, Ntababiniga, EED, 20/11/2016, Kyaka II.
3.
DR Congo, M, R, Kaberogota, 15/06/2017, Kyaka II, DR Congo, W, B, Bukere, EED, 12/11/2016, Kyaka II; FGD, DR Congo, 10M, Sweswe, 24/11/2016, Kyaka II.
4.
FGD, MN, W, 10, Mukondo, 23/11/2016, Kyaka II.
5.
FGD, MN, W, 10, Mukondo, 23/11/2016, Kyaka II.
6.
DR Congo, W, M, Sweswe, EED, 24/11/2016, Kyaka II.
7.
R, W, Bukere, EED, 13/11/2016, Kyaka II.
8.
FGD, MN, W, 10, Mukondo, 23/11/2016, Kyaka II.
9.
DR Congo, W, A, Bukere, EED, 09/12/2016, Kyaka II.
10.
DR Congo, W, Sweswe, EED, 14/06/2017, Kyaka II.
11.
DR Congo, M, B, Byabakora, EED, 19/11/2016, Kyaka II.
12.
DR Congo, M, Buliti, EED, 08/11/2016, Kyaka II; DR Congo, W, Buliti, EED, 18/11/2016, Kyaka II.
13.
This was, for example, the case for the many Rwandese who had their status revoked after years of living in Uganda as refugees.
14.
DR Congo, M, Sweswe, EED, 19/06/2017, Kyaka II; B, M, Mukondo, EED, 08/07/2017, Kyaka II.
15.
B, M, Mukondo, EED, 08/07/2017, Kyaka II.
16.
E, W, Bukere, EED, 13/11/2016, Kyaka II.
17.
DR Congo, M, Ntababiniga, EED, 20/11/2016, Kyaka II; DR Congo, M, Buliti, EED, 08/11/2016, Kyaka II.
18.
DR Congo, M, Buliti, EED, 08/11/2016, Kyaka II.
19.
B, W, Bukere, EED, 14/06/2017, Kyaka II; DR Congo, M, R, Bukere, EED, 13/11/2016, Kyaka II; E, W, Bukere, EED, 13/11/2016, Kyaka II; DR Congo, M, A, Byabakora, EED, 19/11/2016, Kyaka II.
20.
Conversation during the transect walk with inhabitants of Mukondo, 08/07/2017.
21.
B, M, I, Mukondo, EED, 19/11/2016, Kyaka II.
22.
B, W, Bukere, EED, 14/06/2017, Kyaka II; DR Congo, M, B, Mukondo, EED, 08/12/2016, Kyaka II.
23.
DR Congo, W, Sweswe, EED, 14/06/2017, Kyaka II.
24.
DR Congo, W, Kakoni, EED, 22/11/2016, Kyaka II.
25.
DR Congo, W, B, Bukere, EED, 09/12/2016, Kyaka II; DR Congo, M, A Mukondo, EED, 08/12/2016, Kyaka II; B, W, Sweswe, EED, 08/07/2017, Kyaka II.
26.
DR Congo, M, B, Mukondo, EED, 08/12/2016, Kyaka II.
27.
B, M, I, Mukondo, EED, 19/11/2016, Kyaka II.
28.
B, W, Sweswe, EED, 08/07/2017, Kyaka II; E, W, Bukere, EED, 13/11/2016, Kyaka II; E, M, Buliti, EED, 18/11/2016, Kyaka II.
29.
This was mentioned by a woman I engaged with during one transect walk, 15/06/2022.
30.
FGD, MN, 6M, 5 W, Bukere 15/11/2016, Kyaka II.
31.
DR Congo, W, A, Bujubuli, EED, 15/11/2016, Kyaka II.
32.
DR Congo, W, Kaberogota, EED, 15/06/2017, Kyaka II.
33.
DR Congo, 3 W, Ntababiniga, EED, 16/06/2017, Kyaka II.
34.
DR Congo, M, Ntababiniga EED, 17/11/2016, Kyaka II.
35.
DR Congo, M, Ntababiniga EED, 17/11/2016, Kyaka II.
36.
B, M, Ntababiniga, EED, 19/11/2016, Kyaka II.
37.
DR Congo, M, A, Byabakora, EED, 19/11/2016, Kyaka II.
38.
FGD, MN, 3M, 2 W, I, 17/11/2016, Kyaka II.
39.
DR Congo, M, R, A, Byabakora, EED, 17/11/2016, Kyaka II; DR Congo, M, n.a., EED, 11/11/2016, Kyaka II.
40.
U, EI, DRC, Base Camp, 21/11/2016, Kyaka II.
41.
U, EI, DRC, Base Camp, 21/11/2016, Kyaka II.
42.
Based on the OPM’s related registration sheet, at the time of my research there were 50 groups financially (or in terms of other material goods) supported, with each having approximately 10 members in total. This occurred with 24,647 refugees then living in the camp, meaning the vast majority are left out of these support schemes.
43.
R, W, Bukere, EED, 13/11/2016, Kyaka II.
44.
DR Congo, W, Buliti, EED, 18/11/2016, Kyaka II.
45.
DR Congo, M, Bwiriza, EED, 16/06/2017, Kyaka II; DR Congo, W, Sweswe, EED, 18/06/2017, Kyaka II; DR Congo, M, Bukere, EED, 09/12/2016, Kyaka II.
46.
DR Congo, M, A, Byabakora, EED, 19/11/2016, Kyaka II.
47.
DR Congo, M, A, Byabakora, EED, 19/11/2016, Kyaka II; see also: R, W, Byabakora, EED, 20/11/2016, Kyaka II; DR Congo, M, Bukere, EED, 09/07/2017, Kyaka II; DR Congo, W, Sweswe, EED, 14/06/2017, Kyaka II.
48.
B, M, I, Mukondo, EED, 19/11/2016, Kyaka II.
49.
R, W, Bukere, EED, 13/11/2016, Kyaka II.
50.
DR Congo, 3 W, 2M, EED, reception centre, 06/12/2016, Kyaka II; DR Congo, M, B, Sweswe, EED, 15/06/2017, Kyaka II; DR Congo, M, R, Bukere, EED, 13/11/2016, Kyaka II.
51.
B, W, Sweswe, EED, 08/07/2017, Kyaka II; DR Congo, M, Sweswe, EED, 18/06/2017, Kyaka II.
52.
B, M, I, Mukondo, EED, 19/11/2016, Kyaka II.
53.
DR Congo, M, R, Bukere, EED, 13/11/2016, Kyaka II.
54.
B, M, I, Mukondo, EED, 19/11/2016, Kyaka II.
55.
DR Congo, 2 W, reception centre, EED, 06/12/2016, Kyaka II; DR Congo, 3 W, 2M, EED, reception centre, 06/12/2016, Kyaka II; DR Congo, W, Sweswe, EED, 24/11/2016, Kyaka II.
56.
DR Congo, M, R, Bukere, EED, 13/11/2016, Kyaka II.
57.
DR Congo, M, C, Byabakora, EED, 19/11/2016, Kyaka II.
58.
DR Congo, W, B, Mukondo, EED, 22/11/2016, Kyaka II.
59.
DR Congo, W, B, Mukondo, EED, 22/11/2016, Kyaka II.
60.
B, M, Sweswe, EED, 07/12/2016, Kyaka II.
61.
DR Congo, W, Kaberogota, EED, 15/06/2017, Kyaka II.
62.
DR Congo, W, B, Byabakora, EED, 17/06/2017, Kyaka II.
63.
DR Congo, M, R, B, Byabakora, EED, 17/11/2016, Kyaka II.
64.
DR Congo, W, B, Bukere, EED, 08/07/2017, Kyaka II.
65.
B, W, Sweswe, EED, 08/07/2017, Kyaka II.
66.
R, W, Byabakora, EED, 20/11/2016, Kyaka II.
67.
FGD, MN, 6M, 5 W, Bukere 15/11/2016, Kyaka II.
68.
FGD, MN, W, 10, Mukondo, 23/11/2016, Kyaka II.
69.
This was based on a three-month research stay at this site in Uganda in October to December 2013, in the context, as noted previously, of my bachelor’s studies.
70.
FGD, MN, 6M, 5 W, Bukere 15/11/2016, Kyaka II; FGD, MN, 5M, 1 W, Base Camp, 21/06/2017, Kyaka II.
71.
DR Congo, M, B, Sweswe, EED, 15/06/2017, Kyaka II; DR Congo, M, B, Bukere, EED, 12/11/2016, Kyaka II.
72.
DR Congo, M, Sweswe, EED, 18/06/2017, Kyaka II.
73.
That this spatial knowledge actually provides a resource is increasingly being brought to attention, also by UNHCR itself. This has led to a number of projects aiming for increased mapping using technical devices and programmes such as the so-called Geographic Information System. See: (Beaudou et al. 2003; Poisson 2013; Xu et al. 2015; Quinn et al. 2018) Apart from using technical devices and tools, several projects have identified people’s key knowledge and pushed to include it in mapping processes via participatory projects. See: (Tomaszewski et al. 2017).
74.
DR Congo, M, R, Kaberogota, 15/06/2017, Kyaka II.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Osnabrueck, Germany
Hannah Schmidt

Authors

Hannah Schmidt
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hannah Schmidt .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Schmidt, H. (2023). Social Fabric: Refugees’ Social Practices of Spatialization in Kyaka II. In: Weaving the Camp. Springer VS, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-41650-8_5

Download citation

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-41650-8_5
Published: 14 July 2023
Publisher Name: Springer VS, Wiesbaden
Print ISBN: 978-3-658-41649-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-658-41650-8
eBook Packages: Social Science and Law (German Language)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics