You are where you build: Hierarchy, Inequality, and Equalitarianism in Mandara Highland Architecture

Contrary to the scholarly portrayal of egalitarian societies, architectural landscapes in the Mandara Highlands reveal deeply embedded hierarchies and inequalities among clans and individuals. This study demonstrates how physical structures are ideologically constructed to legitimize social stratification, challenging the assumption of segmentary societal organization in this region. Through fieldwork-based observations, the research interrogates the meaning of egalitarianism in African societies, highlighting the nuanced interplay between material space and ideological representation.

Chétima, M. (2019). You are where you build: Hierarchy, Inequality, and Equalitarianism in Mandara Highland Architecture. African Studies Review, 62(3), 40–64. https://doi.org/10.1017/asr.2018.45