Running for office in the aftermath of the Liberian civil war : On crisis, reproduction, and the role of local political culture

Abstract

This article deals with dynamics of continuity and change articulated during the presidential and representative elections in the aftermath of the Liberian civil war (1989-2003). Elections are often presented as pivotal moments in which the violent past is left behind and a new era of peace begins. Based on personal narratives and rumours as articulated during the 2011 and 2017 election campaigns, I describe how candidates are inscribed or inscribe themselves as “big men” by reproducing long-standing patrimonial relations. The dichotomy between both attitudes towards elections, either as representing radical change or as containing elements of cultural resilience and continuity, is utilised to explore the limits of the analytical framing of “crisis” as moments in time favouring rupture and change.