Paper short abstract:

The communication focuses on intermittent men in arms in Chad, a country where the trajectory of 'rebellion-reintegration-defection' is very common. It shows that spatial and political mobility is a survival strategy as well as a tactic to achieve social advancement.

Paper long abstract:

The communication focuses on intermittent men in arms in Chad, a country where the trajectory of 'rebellion-reintegration-defection' is very common. What does mobility mean for these combatants who take up arms more than once? The communication aims to show that spatial and political mobility is a survival strategy as well as a tactic to achieve social advancement. Mobility means switching sides when necessary and being ready for the next war. Mobility also means seizing opportunities and enjoying the benefits of an unstable political environment and a militarized economy. The communication concludes that in Chad, the very conception of time is linked to experiences of war and to the permanent reproduction of the conditions that led to war. Political instability and everyday uncertainties shorten time horizons.