Rethink Fragility

"The only ethical way of doing this research is to stay involved in a profound manner, & to maintain these friendships and relationships." Judith Verweijen is a researcher who has spent a decade-plus interviewing soldiers and militias in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. We talk through what her process looks like, what men under arms actually do all day, and the complex social ecosystem that arises in protracted conflicts. We also talk a lot about the ethics of this work. Not just because many of these groups are implicated in serious human rights violations, but also because there's a long history of "extractive" research originating in the global North. As always there are no easy answers here -- but this a fascinating conversation with someone who's produced a lot of fascinating, granular research. --- Episode notes: [03:45] Pursuing an early interest in Central Africa. Early fascination with what armed groups do, and what lies behind human rights violations. [11:10] How to dig beneath superf