Acknowledgments

This book has been long in the making. Since my initial fieldwork trip for this project in 2010, Mozambique has experienced (among other things) two rounds of general elections, two destructive cyclones, the return of war, and the emergence of a new war in the country’s north – in addition to a pandemic. In researching and writing this book over the years, I have benefited from the support of many people. First of all, I am deeply indebted to all my respondents in Mozambique who so generously shared their precious time to answer my questions; their stories not only made this book possible, but also taught me lots about politics and life more generally. Some of my respondents are no longer alive today; may they rest in peace. Since my respondents shared sensitive material, I kept all their names anonymous, unless they were public figures; I hope they forgive me that I cannot give them the credit they deserve.

I had the initial idea for this book after a talk on Sierra Leone’s Civil Defense Forces, and militias more generally, by Macartan Humphreys at Yale University. I began researching the topic, came across a fascinating article by Kenneth B. Wilson on Naparama in Mozambique, and decided to further study these militias. Before my first fieldwork trip to Mozambique, Ken Wilson provided me with crucial advice and information on how to research Naparama. I am extremely grateful for my dissertation advisor Elisabeth Wood’s early encouragement to pursue this project. Her exceptional mentorship and guidance throughout my graduate studies and beyond and her help in the book publication process were crucial in completing this book. I sincerely appreciate the advice and insights I received from my dissertation committee members Stathis Kalyvas and Mike McGovern; Stathis helped me to stay focused on finalizing and publishing this book. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Ariel Ahram, Bjørn Bertelsen, Matthew Kocher, and Eric Morier-Génoud for their generous advice on the project and Michel Cahen for carefully reading and commenting on parts of the manuscript.

In Mozambique, I thank Domingos do Rosário for the affiliation with the Political Science Department at the University Eduardo Mondlane in Maputo. Special thanks go to Ivo Correia, Victor Igreja, João Paulo Borges Coelho, Ben Machava, Sérgio Chichava, Gil Lauriciano, and Manuel de Araújo for their generous help in providing me with crucial contacts and invaluable advice. I thank seminar participants at the African Studies Center (CEA) at University Eduardo Mondlane and at the Institute for Social and Economic Studies (IESE) for their ingenious suggestions and Carlos Fernandes and Sérgio Chichava for organizing the talks. I very much appreciate the support of the provincial secretaries and district administrators in Nampula and Zambézia provinces who granted me permission to work in their districts, provided me with access to government archives, and supported my project. Armindo Félix Cassamuge, Elísio Vicente, Amos João Pires, and João Pereira provided excellent research assistance in Zambézia and Nampula. My friend and colleague Emily Van Houweling’s support not only improved my project but also made my time between trips to the districts more enjoyable. Christian Laheij provided important support in difficult times. I also thank Tiffany Depew and Shannon Johnson for their hospitality and Lily Bunker, Doreen Cutonilli, and Alicia Mehl for their friendship.

I am deeply grateful for having had such great colleagues and friends who have provided outstanding feedback and emotional support over the years. As a graduate student at Yale University, I was lucky to benefit from the advice and friendship of Gina Bateson, Leonid Behner, Lihi Ben Shitrit, Yelena Biberman, Daniel Blocq, Erica de Bruin, Christine Cheng, Adi Greif, Lucy Joske, Kathleen Klaus, Meghan Lynch, Cory McCruden, Jensen Sass, Angelika Schlanger, Livia Schubiger, Ryan Sheely, Kai Thaler, and many others. When I moved to Leiden University as an assistant professor, many new colleagues and friends supported me and this project, in particular Nicolas Blarel, Ursula Daxecker, Imke Harbers, Jana Krause, Romain Malejacq, Juan Masullo, Jonah Schulhofer-Wohl, Lee Seymour, Danie Stockmann, and Nikkie Wiegink. Rebekah Tromble has been an invaluable mentor and Abbey Steele a great friend. Lena Laube deserves special thanks for always being there for me.

The book would not have been possible without funding from a National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant and a Yale MacMillan Center International Dissertation Research Grant. The research project was approved by the Human Subjects Committee of Yale University under the Institutional Research Board (IRB) protocol number 110308177. I thank Bristol University Press / Policy Press for permission to include material from a prior publication (Jentzsch Reference Jentzsch, Rivas and Browne2018a). I owe special thanks to my editor, Amanda Pearson, and her editing team at Pearson Ink for working with me on the final manuscript during a stressful time, and my editor at Cambridge University Press, Sara Doskow, for her helpful guidance throughout the publishing process. Three anonymous reviewers provided insightful and constructive comments and suggestions for revising the manuscript. My research assistant, Sofia Jorges, did an excellent job in making the maps, and Robert Sale prepared the index.

I wrote parts of this book while moving across the Atlantic and having two kids, and finished it while living through a pandemic. I often think of Sean Jacobs’ advice that “life happens,” which he gave me when I was a graduate student and thinking about having a baby while finishing my dissertation. Sean’s advice to accept that not everything can be planned has helped keep me sane, and I sincerely thank him for that.

I dedicate this book to John. I remain deeply grateful for your unconditional love and support and could not have come this far without you. I am grateful to my parents, Birgit and Gerhard, for always cheering me on. Thanks to my sister Annika for her curiosity in chatting about this project and to my sister Britta for her openness to adventure when visiting me in Mozambique. It was fun talking to Jasper about writing a book. And Almeda’s joyfulness is an inspiration for us all.