Interview with Théodore Trefon

By Róbert Baracs

Abstract

During a conversation with Théodore Trefon in his office in Tervuren, I asked personal and professional questions about his life, studies, research, and his personal views on the past, present, and future of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Théodore originally came from the USA and settled in Belgium partly due to his mentor and partly because of his research topics. He examines the former Belgian colony from a political-economic perspective, including its historical aspects. As he works with extremely contemporary issues, he often travels to Congo, including its dangerous eastern regions, for his field research. He is a researcher, educator, and author of numerous essays and books, with extensive knowledge about Congo. He is a researcher at the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, near Brussels.