Multifaceted Crises and Family Disintegration in the Far North of Cameroon

This study analyzes displaced families’ disintegration amidst multifaceted crises in the Far North Region of Cameroon. The focus is on displaced families in four divisions where host communities along the border of Nigeria have fled Boko Haram, due to sociopolitical instability and environmental deg...

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Main Authors: Gustave Gaye, Carola Tize, Lidewyde Berckmoes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Genealogy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2313-5778/9/2/56
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author Gustave Gaye
Carola Tize
Lidewyde Berckmoes
author_facet Gustave Gaye
Carola Tize
Lidewyde Berckmoes
author_sort Gustave Gaye
collection DOAJ
description This study analyzes displaced families’ disintegration amidst multifaceted crises in the Far North Region of Cameroon. The focus is on displaced families in four divisions where host communities along the border of Nigeria have fled Boko Haram, due to sociopolitical instability and environmental degradation. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses show how insecurity and precarity have resulted in disintegrating, dispersing and sometimes recomposing the traditional structure of the family institution by disrupting marriage traditions, gender roles and intergenerational relations. Such shifts in the family occurred as a result of the challenging contexts in their hometowns, during flight and after settling in the host towns. The findings demonstrate the effects of the multifaceted crises, which created intergenerational, but also inter- and intra-community rifts that are challenging to repair amidst mass distrust and continued insecurity. This study contributes especially to understanding how these crises affect family cohesion and intergenerational relations as part of dynamics of great social change.
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spelling doaj-art-11079f56a6a348abb78f72e34d2158832025-08-20T03:27:18ZengMDPI AGGenealogy2313-57782025-05-01925610.3390/genealogy9020056Multifaceted Crises and Family Disintegration in the Far North of CameroonGustave Gaye0Carola Tize1Lidewyde Berckmoes2Department of Sociology, Anthropology and the Social Sciences for Development, University of Maroua, Maroua P.O. Box 644, CameroonDepartment of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW, UKAfrican Studies Center Leiden, Leiden University, Witte Singel 27A, 2311 BG Leiden, The NetherlandsThis study analyzes displaced families’ disintegration amidst multifaceted crises in the Far North Region of Cameroon. The focus is on displaced families in four divisions where host communities along the border of Nigeria have fled Boko Haram, due to sociopolitical instability and environmental degradation. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses show how insecurity and precarity have resulted in disintegrating, dispersing and sometimes recomposing the traditional structure of the family institution by disrupting marriage traditions, gender roles and intergenerational relations. Such shifts in the family occurred as a result of the challenging contexts in their hometowns, during flight and after settling in the host towns. The findings demonstrate the effects of the multifaceted crises, which created intergenerational, but also inter- and intra-community rifts that are challenging to repair amidst mass distrust and continued insecurity. This study contributes especially to understanding how these crises affect family cohesion and intergenerational relations as part of dynamics of great social change.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-5778/9/2/56crisisfamily disintegrationdisplaced personsFar North CameroonBoko Haramenvironmental crisis
spellingShingle Gustave Gaye
Carola Tize
Lidewyde Berckmoes
Multifaceted Crises and Family Disintegration in the Far North of Cameroon
Genealogy
crisis
family disintegration
displaced persons
Far North Cameroon
Boko Haram
environmental crisis
title Multifaceted Crises and Family Disintegration in the Far North of Cameroon
title_full Multifaceted Crises and Family Disintegration in the Far North of Cameroon
title_fullStr Multifaceted Crises and Family Disintegration in the Far North of Cameroon
title_full_unstemmed Multifaceted Crises and Family Disintegration in the Far North of Cameroon
title_short Multifaceted Crises and Family Disintegration in the Far North of Cameroon
title_sort multifaceted crises and family disintegration in the far north of cameroon
topic crisis
family disintegration
displaced persons
Far North Cameroon
Boko Haram
environmental crisis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2313-5778/9/2/56
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AT lidewydeberckmoes multifacetedcrisesandfamilydisintegrationinthefarnorthofcameroon