ECAS 2009
3rd European Conference on African Studies
Leipzig, 4 to 7 June 2009

Panel 68: Death, deceit and other personal disasters: When connections backfire (Gabriel Klaeger / Julie Soleil Archambault)

Panel Organisers: Gabriel Klaeger / Julie Soleil Archambault

Many in Africa are keen on ‘connections’: they become part of networks and communities and invest in mediators and technologies that connect people and spaces. But what happens when connections backfire, when networks and technologies fail? The prospects of membership may crumble, middlemen can disappoint and technologies bring ruptures. This panel sheds light on the dangers and failures of connections by exploring how individuals experience these drawbacks and face possible disconnections.