Description:
In the 1980s, the arrests of a group of teachers, doctors, and other professionals triggered a wave of protests, helping to pave the way for Somaliland's self-declaration in 1991. Drawing on over 100 oral histories and archival materials, this book will interest researchers of African history, politics and resistance studies more broadly.
Review Quotes:
"Focusing on professionals rather than politicians as agents of social change, Tellander impressively combines oral testimonies, popular poetry, and rich cultural analysis to reconstruct the dramatic story of the 1981 Uffo protests which helped launch Somaliland on its path to independence a decade later. A compelling contribution to the comparative literature on non-violent resistance in the global south!"
Lee Cassanelli, Professor of History, University of Pennsylvania, USA.
"Constructive Resistance in Somali History deepens our understanding of agency and resistance through the stories of young professionals and students who challenged authoritarianism in Somalia. With theoretical rigour and meticulous research, Ebba Tellander reminds us that collective care is a necessary dimension of the political."
Safia Aidid, Assistant Professor of History and African Studies, University of Toronto, Canada.
"Ebba Tellander provides a detailed, original, and elegantly told account of the Uffo protests in 1980s Hargeisa, Somaliland. Drawing on multiple interviews, the author ties the historiographical account to central theories of protest and resistance and to Somali poetry, offering a comprehensive analysis of how protest arose at this key moment in Somaliland's history."
Laura Hammond, Professor of Development Studies at SOAS, University of London, UK