Berridge, W. J. (2012) 'Nests of criminals': policing in the peri-urban regions of Northern Sudan, 1964-1989. The Journal of North African Studies. 17(2), pp. 239-255. 1362-9387.
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Abstract:
This article focuses on the strategies adopted by the Sudanese police in dealing with migration from Sudan’s rural peripheries to the central urban riverain areas of Sudan, in particular Khartoum. It contends that police policy in these regions demonstrated the limited
governmental ambitions of the Sudanese state and its inability, or unwillingness, to individuate its population. It thus shifts the focus of analysis away from debates which
emphasise the role of country size and ethnic diversity in limiting the social and political integration between the marginalised rural areas and the urban cores of Sudan, towards understanding this divide as an active product of government policy. Rather than attempting to regulate these rural migrants as part of an overall social body, police strategies in these periurban areas have in effect served to re-inforce the divide between the centres and peripheries
of Sudanese society. They have often treated the outskirts of Khartoum as if they represent a national border, and control the burgeoning shanty-towns using collective and arbitrary methods such as ‘dragnet’ operations and mass demolition of shanty housing. However, the article also attempts to problematise the notion of a strict centre-periphery dichotomy by arguing that the police were never fully successful in imposing this divide, as was seen in
their increasing reliance on recruiting migrants from the rural peripheries
Uncontrolled Keywords:
Peri-urban, police, centre-periphery divide, urbanisation, kasha, identity cards
Subjects:
D History General and Old World > DT Africa > DT154.1 Sudan. Anglo-Egyptian Sudan > DT155.3 History
J Political Science > JV Colonies and colonization. Emigration and immigration. International migration > JV6001 Emigration and immigration. International migration
H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology > HV7551 Police. Detectives. Constabulary > HV8130 By region or country > HV8269.3 Sudan
J Political Science > JV Colonies and colonization. Emigration and immigration. International migration > JV6001 Emigration and immigration. International migration
H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology > HV7551 Police. Detectives. Constabulary > HV8130 By region or country > HV8269.3 Sudan
Creators:
Berridge, W. J.
Publisher:
Taylor & Francis
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes:
Date:
March 2012
Date Type:
Publication
Page Range:
pp. 239-255
Journal or Publication Title:
The Journal of North African Studies
Volume:
17
Number:
2
Language:
English
ISSN:
1362-9387
Status:
Published / Disseminated
Refereed:
Yes
Related URLs:
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