Young Perspectives on Pastoral Rangeland Privatization: Intimate Exclusions at the Intersection of Youth Identities

Abstract

The recent privatization of Maasai rangelands in Southern Kenya has not only facilitated land grabbing by outsiders, but, more pervasively, has given rise to intimate exclusions, whereby the young generation's access to land and land-based resources has changed dramatically. Yet, young people's views and experiences are neglected in local, academic and policy debates on land tenure reform. On the basis of long-term fieldwork and mixed methods approaches in a community that has recently undergone privatization, this article explores young perspectives on this process, demonstrating the unique positions of youth as compared with adults and the divergent views of youth shaped by other intersecting social dimensions of difference, such as class, gender and ethnicity. Bringing in young perspectives deepens our understanding of the role of tenure change in development and social transformation, providing critical insights.La privatisation récente des pâturages des Masaï du sud du Kenya a non seulement facilité l'accaparement des terres par des parties étrangères, mais, plus systématiquement encore, a donné lieu à des exclusions profondes qui ont radicalement modifié l'accès de la jeune génération à la terre et à ses ressources. Pourtant, les opinions et les expériences de la jeunesse ne sont pas considérées dans les débats locaux, universitaires et politiques sur la réforme foncière. Basé sur une méthodologie mixte et une longue étude de terrain dans une communauté qui a récemment traversé un processus de privatisation, cet article examine les perceptions des jeunes concernant ce processus. Il met en évidence les divergences de points de vue entre les jeunes et les adultes, divergences dues à d'autres dimensions sociales de la différence qui s'entrecroisent, telles que la classe sociale, le sexe et l'origine ethnique. La prise en compte des opinions des jeunes apporte un précieux éclairage et permet ainsi de mieux comprendre les effets des modifications des régimes fonciers sur le développement et la transformation sociale.

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