Simon Larsson

This book offers a historical anthropological study of Swedish Protestant missionaries in the Congo Free State during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It examines how a Swedish mission society, operating under King Leopold II’s brutal colonial regime, attempted to reshape Congolese society by transplanting Western Christian ideals into the local Kikongo-speaking context. The author analyses the complex interplay between missionaries, the violent colonial state, and the indigenous Bakongo people, revealing how missions became a crucible for cultural exchange, conflict, and transformation. The chapters document the missionaries’ activities and experiences using rich archival sources, drawing on Swedish-language mission archives and personal writings such as letters, diaries and reports. They tell a story of well-intended efforts by missionaries to improve the life of the Congolese convert, as well as failures, misunderstandings, and abuse of power. The author combines detailed empirical narrative with critical examination of topics including family and kinship, labour and economy, and state formation in a colonial context. The book will be relevant to scholars with an interest in anthropology, history, religious studies, and African studies.

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