Ethnicity & Heritage Studies

The African concept of religion is monolithic. The South Sudanese and African believe in one God which, through spiritual mediums and prophets, communicates with human beings through different signs and signals. Few studies have been conducted on South Sudanese ethnicity — including their religion, the role of religion in politics and economics, South Sudanese prophets and prophecies, and the interplay between local belief systems and other religions such as Christianity and Islam.

The vast and rich culture of African and South Sudanese people has not been extensively explored, although some documentation has been done through travelers, missionaries and anthropologists. There is a need to conduct research in areas such as music, poetry, folktales, dance, food, clothing, and painting among others.

The migration routes of South Sudanese society are by-and-large similar to those of their other neighbours, particularly in the past 300 years when migration — influenced by the economic and security needs of the society — took different directions. During that period, South Sudanese people came into contact with other communities, causing their geographical and density distribution to more-or-less assume the shape it is in today.

Studies have been conducted in certain aspects of South Sudanese traditional justice systems, particularly those related to the concept of law and its application, law and society, and the judicial system. There is a need to study various aspects of the South Sudanese traditional justice system that are influenced by phenomena such as modern legal systems, urbanization, migration, and globalization.

The concept of leadership in various ethnic groups of South Sudan and Africa is informed by the character of the leader, the value system of the society, the nature of the governance system, and other aspects that require in-depth study and analysis.

During their extensive migration in the past three centuries, the South Sudanese have acquired landmasses rich in a variety of natural and material resources, including animal, mineral, oil and gas, fisheries, agricultural, and forestry resources, among others.