A Perfect Fit for the Indigenous “Slot”? Batwa Identity Politics Meets Global Advocacy Agendas in Kahuzi-Biega National Park

Indigenous rights activism, while aiming to support marginalized communities, can inadvertently obscure local complexities. In Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo, the Batwa people are often portrayed as the ultimate guardians of their ancestral forests, resisting 'fortress conservation.' However, this global advocacy narrative overlooks internal frictions within Batwa groups and tensions with other social groups and the environment. The study reveals that strategic adoption of an Indigenous identity by some Batwa chiefs clashes with messy local realities, highlighting unintended consequences when global agendas meet localized contexts.

Simpson, F. O., Matabaro, L. B., & Alinirihu, V. C. (2026). A Perfect Fit for the Indigenous “Slot”? Batwa Identity Politics Meets Global Advocacy Agendas in Kahuzi-Biega National Park. Routledge Handbook of Environmental Anthropology, 351–361. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003469858-33