As coordinator of the BELSPO project CongoConnect, which ends in March 2019, I plan to submit a book proposal for the series 'Material Vernaculars' (Indiana University Press) together with Dr Vicky Van Bockhaven that provides a historical-anthropological overview of power objects and initiation systems in Northeast Congo, the synergistic border region of Bantu and Nilotic societies. My contribution consists of synthesizing the analyzed data, editing, fieldwork and coordination of fieldwork, as well as collection research in the Stockholm Ethnographic Museum (at the invitation of Africa curator Dr Michael Barrett), in addition to the collection research of Dr Van Bockhaven and my doctoral studies Hannelore Vandenbergen at the Africa Museum (RMCA, in collaboration with Dr Maarten Couttenier). One of the external employees of this project is Martin Holbraad of UC London who acquired his name with his 'ontological turn' in the study of material culture. <https://www.belspo.be/belspo/fedra/proj.asp?l=en&COD=BR%2F143%2FA3%2FCONGOCONNECT>
This publication proposal is preceded by my book project called 'Anthropologizing history: The medicinal cult of kingship in east and central Africa' that I started this year for the influential scientific series 'Methodology & History in Anthropology' (Oxford: Berghahn). two series editors David Parkin and David Gellner, both from Oxford University. https://www.berghahnbooks.com/series/meth_hist
In this I work out a theoretical framework for comparative research of institutions, where insight is possible into the cultural continuities between pre-colonial and post-colonial Africa, especially in the region of Congo, Uganda and Tanzania. Thanks to the sabbatical leave, I will be able to submit the final version in November 2017.
This research with book publications broadens the linguistic focus of the UGent Center for Bantu Studies research group on cultural processes and non-Bantu speaking groups. It should also enable collaboration with colleagues working on the boundaries of history and anthropology, specifically around material culture (Tentative designation: MASC - Material Africa Study Center). The +8000 readers at https://ugent.academia.edu/koenstroeken indicate interest in the approach.