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The Democratic Republic of the Congo has a reputation as a failed state and a bottomless quagmire. While some parts of the Congo are doing quite well at the current time, Professor Hoover speaks about Eastern Congo and the tragedies that this area and its people face along the west branch of the Rift Valley. These tragedies are not only represented in Congolese capacities to form an effective administration in the area, but also to the technology of mining coltan, gold, and other minerals. Dr. J. Jeffrey Hoover earned a degree from Luther College in Iowa, and his Ph.D. in African History from Yale University, specializing in Tribal Structures in the Congo. His doctoral research was on the origins of the Lunda political system during the 17th through 19th centuries, doing pioneer work with historical linguistics in investigating how a multilingual commonwealth could spread over a thousand miles of African savanna without modern transportation or communication. Due to his expertise, he has currently been approached to be a consultant to a mining company wanting to operate in the area. Doctor Hoover and his wife Ellen, also a Yale Ph.D. in African History, have taught and raised a family in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo since 1979. He is a senior professor in the Department of History at the University of Lubumbashi, and the Director of University Libraries. He also teaches at Katanga Methodist University at Mulungwishi and has served as dean and library head there. From 1985-1991 he served as director of a medical infrastructure rehabilitation project funded by USAID in western Katanga, and has been a consultant to various international organizations and companies. The Hoovers are employed by the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church.
Learn more about the ICFRC at their website.