Invoking ‘the Customary’ in the Formalization of Land Reform in Liberia and Sierra Leone

There is a trend towards invoking ‘the customary' in calling for land reform policies to recognize customary land tenure. In this paper, I consider land reform in Liberia and Sierra Leone, which aim to formalize customary land rights. I consider what work invoking ‘the customary' and ‘traditional' is doing in terms of what kind of governance is prescribed and the authority this and the forms that resistance takes. Based on research in communities formalizing land rights, my findings contribute to debates that show how ‘customary’ is not a discreet, self-contained category, but is made meaningful in how it is invoked.