I ADVOCACY LITERATURE SANS FRONTIÉRES: AFRICAN WARSCAPES
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ADVOCACY LITERATURE SANS FRONTIÉRES: AFRICAN WARSCAPES, INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, AND POPULAR NARRATIVES FOR EMERGING HUMAN RIGHTS NORMS by Rebecca J. Cech BA English Literature/Creative Writing, University of Pittsburgh, 1999 Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Pittsburgh 2013 i UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH DIETRICH SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES This dissertation was presented by Rebecca Cech It was defended on July 29, 2013 and approved by Dr. Shalini Puri, Associate Professor, English Department Dr. Nancy Glazener, Associate Professor, English Department Dr. Neil Doshi, Assistant Professor, French and Italian Languages and Literatures Department Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Herbert David Brumble III, Professor, English Department ii Copyright © by Rebecca J. Cech 2013 iii ADVOCACY LITERATURE SANS FRONTIÉRES: AFRICAN WARSCAPES, INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, AND POPULAR NARRATIVES FOR EMERGING HUMAN RIGHTS NORMS Rebecca J. Cech, PhD University of Pittsburgh, 2013 This dissertation analyzes a set of contemporary works that have all been conceived, produced, and circulated in frameworks of international concern as advocates work to popularize narratives representing grave injustices, thereby strengthening the basis for international response to African conflicts characterized by massive human rights violations. All of the feature advocacy literature examined here—Kony 2012 (documentary), Johnny Mad Dog (a film), Johnny Chien Méchant (a novel), What is the What (a novel), and Ruined (a play)—intersect with a variety of institutional and organizational efforts seeking recognition for victims—ones that can be translated into means of support, protection, and redress. This study traces the life of these particular works, their relationships to such organizational efforts, and the ways they contribute to advancing a social project central to human rights culture: developing in the audience or readers a sense of civic duty attached to common membership in the “international community.” These representations support the central project of human rights, but also highlight the political complexity of undertaking such a project in the face of radical inequalities and the history of interventionism sanctioned by empire in the name of humanitarianism and aid of African subjects. A central argument in this study is that one must understand these works in the context of emerging patterns in “international civil society.” The popularity of these works, and the interpretations of conflict they promote, can be read as an important index of emerging norms in human rights, particularly the 2005 United Nations initiative, iv the Responsibility to Protect, which has sought to redefine state sovereignty with greater emphasis on its responsibilities toward citizens. Drawing from the insights of philosophy, reception theory, cultural anthropology, and postcolonial critique, this study highlights a series of salient ethical and political complexities involved in these projects of gaining recognition for victims, including the possibilities and limits tied to the concept of an international community—a group with trans- national solidarities faithful to human rights principles—envisioned as a limitation on state power. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................... IX 1.0 BEGINNINGS .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 THE POLITICS OF INTERNATIONAL ADVOCACY ...................................... 11 1.2 UNDERWRITING HUMAN RIGHTS ................................................................ 26 1.3 NOUVELLES CAUSES CÉLÈBRES .................................................................... 35 2.0 KONY 2012 AND JOHNNY CHIEN MÉCHANT: THE CHILD SOLDIER, BILDUNG, & ADVOCACY ................................................................................................... 38 3.0 THE NEW BARBARISM & THE MAKING OF JOHNNY MAD DOG ............ 67 4.0 ACTING FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN RUINED ................................................. 118 5.0 THE LOST BOYS: LIVING NOWHERE AND BEING NO ONE IN WHAT IS THE WHAT .......................................................................................................................... 165 APPENDIX A ........................................................................................................................ 197 APPENDIX B ....................................................................................................................... 199 APPENDIX C ....................................................................................................................... 201 APPENDIX D ....................................................................................................................... 203 APPENDIX E ....................................................................................................................... 205 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................. 207 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Earl Camp Sr. and family in Kihindo, North Kivu, DR Congo ................................................ 2 Figure 2. Private residence warning sign in Goma, DR Congo ................................................................ 66 Figure 3. JMD, Looting a wedding gown ..................................................................................................... 74 Figure 4. JMD, Leaving the scene of child soldier recruitment................................................................. 77 Figure 5. TMOJMD, Joseph Duo directs child actors ................................................................................ 86 Figure 6. New Hope Grieving Children's Center, drawing of father’s death ......................................... 91 Figure 7. New Hope Center Grieving Children's Center, drawing of flower ......................................... 92 Figure 8. Peace Live Center, skit about demobilized soldiers ................................................................... 96 Figure 9. JMD, Forcible recruitment image from opening scene. ............................................................ 98 Figure 10. JMD, Techniques of manipulation .......................................................................................... 100 Figure 11. TMOJMD, Liberian citizens watch the filming of a street scene ........................................ 103 Figure 12. JMD, War casualties. .................................................................................................................. 104 Figure 13. TMOJMD, Outtake of a smoking break. ................................................................................ 104 Figure 14. JMD, The small boys unit issues a warning to UN soldiers................................................. 114 Figure 15. Yole Africa, painting of the Jazz Mama movement .............................................................. 138 Figure 16. Photos of mutilation in the Congo Free State. ...................................................................... 142 Figure 17. Grounds sculpture at Protestant University ULPGL in Goma .......................................... 144 Figure 18: Goodman Theater Press Promotional Photo of Mama Nadi in Ruined............................. 146 Figure 19. Berkeley Repertory Theater press photo of Salima’s death in Ruined ................................. 152 vii Figure 20. Huntingdon Theater Press Promotional Photo, Ruined: reading romance novels ........... 155 Figure 21. HEAL Africa, sensitization campaign about sexual violence in DRC: taking up arms ... 160 Figure 22. HEAL Africa, Local sensitization campaign about sexual violence in DRC: solidarity .. 161 Figure 23. HEAL Africa, Local sensitization campaign about sexual violence in DRC: justice ....... 163 viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Were it possible to monetize and attempt to pay the debt of gratitude I owe toward the sprawling cast of characters who have backed me during my years of research and writing on this project I should be eternally destitute. Mercifully, there are neither currency conversions nor legal structures in existence to collect on such immense personal debts. Let me begin by recognizing the financial and intellectual support given me by the English Department and The Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. In particular, the travel grant awarded for the summer of 2012 gave me a chance to conduct on-the-ground research in DR Congo, enriching my study in important ways that no exploration of existing archives could have done. I am grateful to administrative staff who work tirelessly to make things run smoothly for graduate students. For their personal attention to detail, availability to field questions, sterling advice, and overall support, I thank Sandy Russo, Eryn Morgan, Duane Walsh, Jeff Aziz, Mark Kemp, Crystal Nurazura Hall, and Philippa Carter. Finishing this dissertation would not have been possible without the guidance and good cheer of my advisor, David Brumble, whose genuine interest in my subject and scholarly gusto fed my momentum at every stage. His Shakespearean turns of phrase, humor, and lickety-split feedback made even the most difficult moments in my work more bearable. I have bookmarked forever among my