Washington Post: New books set the record straight on the Democratic Republic of Congo

Every few years, scholars of Congolese politics collectively sigh as yet another news outlet publishes a poorly informed “analysis” of the country and its problems. Whether it’s an argument that government authority is so weak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that the country “does not exist,” a claim that rebels fight for no discernible reason but banditry, or the idea that celebrity engagement can change the region’s trajectory, questionable claims abound.

How celebrity strategic partnerships are disrupting humanitarian space

Every few years, scholars of Congolese politics collectively sigh as yet another news outlet publishes a poorly informed “analysis” of the country and its problems. Whether it’s an argument that government authority is so weak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that the country “does not exist,” a claim that rebels fight for no discernible reason but banditry, or the idea that celebrity engagement can change the region’s trajectory, questionable claims abound.

Are there ways to resolve these crises and help the people of Congo, who overwhelmingly suffer the effects of ongoing violence and state fragility? Alexandra Budabin and Lisa Ann Richey analyze one set of efforts in their thoughtful, wittily titled Batman Saves the Congo: How Celebrities Disrupt the Politics of Development. (Editorial disclosure: I was interviewed as a subject and am quoted in the book.)

Seizing on the work of actor Ben Affleck and his Eastern Congo Initiative, Budabin and Richey develop a strong critique of what they call “celebrity aid strategic partnerships,” in which stars like Affleck work with foundations, big business and aid workers to draw attention to and raise funds for the cause, in this case, support for Congolese community organizations and coffee and chocolate farmers. In doing so, they speak to the lack of accountability and growth of business-based models that prevail in humanitarian efforts tied up with foundation and corporate funding and celebrity involvement.

The authors argue that this constitutes a fundamental disruption to the way economic development typically evolves — and not necessarily for the better. Even if undertaken out of a genuine desire to help those in need, celebrity interventionism, they contend, both introduces and reinforces a logic that suggests that privatization, not public services, is the solution to development challenges. Disturbingly, this logic also demands that outsiders like Affleck, who literally portrayed a superhero on screen, are necessary to make development happen.

Read the full review at Washington Post.