The online exhibition is comprised of 16 cartoons drawn by a Congolese political cartoonist called Tembo Kash. The cartoons are illustrations of blog articles that were written by local researchers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The DRC is one of the five countries we research on the LSE Conflict Research Programme. The blog articles were written during workshops that took place in Bukavu, DRC over the last couple of years, and sought to discuss research collaborations between the Global North and the Global South. They raise a number of issues about donor methodologies, duty of care (or lack thereof), cultural differences, gender discrimination plus much much more. A total of 36 articles were written and was named “The Bukavu Series” and are hosted on the Governance in Conflict Network (GIC) website.

The exhibition is thus a visual representation of the Bukavu Series, hence the title “Bukavu Expo”. Its preface is called “(Silent) Voices” because these local researchers’ voices and wider contributions are often erased or ‘silenced’ from the research design and publication process. Often they are given a pre-planned research framework to adhere to which may not actually fit with the contextual realities on the ground. Moreover, they are treated as mere data collectors and their names do not appear as authors on the final output. In the continued context of global inequalities, this exhibition seeks to highlight those within research.

The exhibition has implications for policymakers, global north donor agencies, civil society organisations, NGOs, research institutions and academics alike.

The exhibition is Congolese owned insofar as almost all of the content was produced by Congolese researchers and institutions, namely Angaza Institute and GEC-SH. As such, the site is available in English, French and Kiswahili. A book containing all 36 blog articles and cartoons is available to purchase on the website in both English and French.

Whilst the exhibition showcases Congolese experiences, it has overtones for many Global South contexts, with the DRC acting as one of many case studies.

Which cartoon is your favourite?

Explore the Bukavu Expo

Knowledge Production in the Global South: Launching the Bukavu Expo
When: Thursday 21st January 2021 via Zoom (link and event page tbc) 16.00 – 17.30
Chair: Dr Nimesh Dhungana (@NimeshDhungana)
Panel: Dr Emery Mudinga (@EmeryMudinga), Dr Devon Curtis (Uni of Cambridge).