Paper short abstract:

In which ways does the progressive land reform pose a security risk to or facilitate social cohesion in post-conflict Sierra Leone? By integrating a human security perspective, we analyze the interdependencies between state and customary authorities and its effects on local governance and peace.

Paper long abstract:

The 2022 revision of the land tenure system in Sierra Leone strengthens the competencies of customary authorities and at the same time sets out to eliminate some discriminatory practices. This paper explores the (unintended) impact of the land reform implementation on local governance in a post-conflict setting. We critically pose new questions on the latest land tenure developments in Sierra Leone and evaluate how customary institutions are shaped by it. In this line, we bring together concepts of human security and social cohesion. Conceptually, we raise key questions of community and political security which are particularly important in the context of long-term land governance changes and questions of social cohesion. The conceptional integration of human security into the social cohesion framework allows for a nuanced understanding of how the constituents of social cohesion – trust, identity, and cooperation – are shaped by security dynamics. In so doing, we focus on local governance dynamics, notably chieftaincies and state institutions, in the process of land law implementation. Drawing on the Ethnographic Peace Research approach, we analyze the interlinkages between land reform, human security, and local governance in Sierra Leone. Our in-depth case study provides insights into authority conflicts and collaboration based on participant observation and interviews with state agents, customary authority representatives, members of civil society organizations, as well as international organizations. We contribute to research on human security, agrarian transformation, land governance, and societies in transition.