The Territoriality of Non-Natives as the Foundation of National Unity and Collective Will to Live in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Towards a Congolese Theory of Rooted Citizenship and Post-Ethnic Cohesion

Abstract

This article demonstrates that the "native/non-native" categorization, inherited from the colonial era, weakens national cohesion in the Democratic Republic of Congo by basing territorial belonging on lineage rather than on the participation, commitment, and responsibility of individuals. Not only does the need for residency within the provincial territory, but also the assumption of high-level power—particularly that of Governor—pose a problem, as this has already been achieved at the level of territorial administrators.
Using a constructivist approach, this study demonstrates that non-natives organize the territory through their skills, social, economic, and civic practices, generating a legitimacy of use that strengthens interdependencies and collective integration. The study thus proposes a Congolese theory of rooted citizenship, defining political belonging as the sustained participation of actors in the shared space, and outlines a post-ethnic model of state consolidation based on inclusive territoriality.
Keywords: 1. Territoriality; 2. Rooted citizenship; 3. Non-natives; 4. National cohesion; 5. Post-ethnicity; 6. Tribal