land of the stateless

Mahmood Soumaré

Éditions Globe, 320 pages, 2026

Shortlisted for the 2026 Prix Ouest France Étonnants Voyageurs.

Why you should take a look at it:
√ The seldom explored topic of intra-African migration
√ A gripping story about the fight for identity and dignity
√ An important novel by a must-discover African writer

How do you claim a home when you have no country?

In the Ravine, on the outskirts of an African capital —what others might call a slum—the elder known as Baba Mathus takes in outcasts, those without birth certificates or nationality. Crammed together with animals and up-cycled trash, they form a caring community, built on generous individual initiatives and small acts of solidarity far removed from the “Outer Empire” with its ills and hypocritical legality.  

When torrential rains leave five children orphaned, Madame Jeannette, a visitor captivated by the wisdom of the Ravine’s dwellers, takes on the role of a protective mother. But the Ravine cannot shield them from the cruelty of the metropolis situated some few hundred feet above.

Inspired by the fate of descendants of colonial-era migrants who have lived in The Ivory Coast for generations without official recognition, Land of the Stateless delves into those whose lives have fallen through the cracks of colonial history, state structures, and national belonging.

In this polyphonic novel that invokes Victor Hugo and the sculptor Ousmane Sow, Mahmood Soumaré pays homage to the spiritual resources and practical skills of the underprivileged and their determination to assert their humanity.

 Born in Bamako and now living in The Ivory Coast, Mahmoud Soumaré won the 2016 Bernard Dadié Prize for Young Writers for his three-volume saga, Les marcheurs de Bougreville. Land of the Stateless was originally published in 2023 in Abidjan by Les Classiques africains, and was shortlisted for the 2024 Prix Ahmadou-Kourouma.