Robert Feenstra Prize awarded to C. Via Balole for his article on the history of law in Congo

Researcher Christian Via Balole has received the prestigious Robert Feenstra Prize, awarded by the editorial board of the Tijdschrift voor Rechtsgeschiedenis (Journal of Legal History), for his article titled “Forced Labor in Congo (1960–2001): Between Legal Decolonization and the Remnants of Belgian Colonial Law”, published in 2024. This prize, established in honor of Professor Robert Feenstra, is awarded every two years to an outstanding article on the history of Western law. The official award ceremony will take place during the Belgian-Dutch Legal History Days, on November 27 and 28, 2025, at Radboud University in Nijmegen (Netherlands).

Summary of the award-winning article

This article examines the enduring influence of Belgian colonial law on forced labour in the Congo, particularly in the context of the process of decolonising Congolese law. It demonstrates two key points: first, that remnants of colonial law persisted beyond colonisation, and second, that these remnants shaped the development of new legal frameworks by an independent Congo to perpetuate the exploitations of the Congolese population. The analyses reveal a stark contrast between the pro-independence rhetoric advocating freedom of labour by repealing colonial law and the post-colonial law that continues the subjugation of the Congolese people. Ultimately, the article highlights the damaging influence of the former coloniser, which impeded the new Congolese state’s ability to implement a truly sovereign policy. Conversely, this enduring influence provided a pathway for President Mobutu to seize power and further advance the exploitative economic of the Congo and its people rooted in Belgian colonial law.