The most marginalized people in Uganda? Alternative realities of Batwa at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Contrary to the dominant narrative, the Batwa people of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are not merely marginalized victims of development but possess significant agency and expertise. This study challenges prevailing discourses by revealing their active roles in conservation, tourism entrepreneurship, forest ecology, organizational capacity, and political activism. Using relational agency as a conceptual framework—rooted in Foucauldian discourse theory and Actor-Network Theory (ANT)—the research employed in-depth ethnographic methods to uncover alternative realities of the Batwa. Findings demonstrate that while academic, NGO, and governmental narratives often reduce the Batwa to oppressed figures, ethnographic evidence highlights their vibrant community dynamics and situational agency. The study advocates for recognizing the Batwa’s multifaceted contributions, which can reshape conservation and development practices by acknowledging their active participation rather than passive marginalization.

Ampumuza, C., Duineveld, M., & van der Duim, R. (2020). The most marginalized people in Uganda? Alternative realities of Batwa at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. World Development Perspectives, 20, 100267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wdp.2020.100267