{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:21:56Z","timestamp":1760059316706,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,4]],"date-time":"2025-06-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1748995200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Horizon Europe Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation","award":["101058509"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["101058509"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Urban Science"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Angola\u2019s cultural mosaic and ethnolinguistic diversity reflect the multilocational traditional customs and power, which are key to the country\u2019s social organisation. A Soba, a traditional leader whose status is recognised by the Angolan Constitution, exerts political influence, shapes the collective life, and helps to preserve cultural identity. Customary law, entrenched after independence, became central to the political and administrative restructuring of the country, which had an impact on decentralisation efforts and legal pluralism. This study analyses the traditional leadership of Sobas in Angola in the context of placemaking and territorial co-management. Backed by the theory of Afrocentricity, a multidisciplinary approach is adopted towards setting Africans as the subjects of their own history. It is based on a literature review and critical analysis of the interaction between administrative law and customary law, which imply a hybrid model for territorial governance. The results indicate that the influence of Sobas on decision-making directly affects the use of the territory and cultural development, highlighting the importance of institutionalising traditional power. This paper suggests that recognising and strengthening such hybrid models is key to promoting territorial cohesion and fostering community engagement, whilst integrating traditional practices can result in more inclusive and effective public policies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/urbansci9060207","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,4]],"date-time":"2025-06-04T06:00:49Z","timestamp":1749016849000},"page":"207","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The Customary Law and the Traditional Leadership Power in Angola\u2014Their Effects on Territorial Planning Issues"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2207-9587","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nagayamma","family":"Arag\u00e3o","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Universidade Lus\u00f3fona, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1896-4663","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carlos","family":"Smaniotto Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Universidade Lus\u00f3fona, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal"},{"name":"CIAUD, Interdisciplinary Research Center for Architecture, Urbanism and Design, 1349-063 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Ruben","family":"Domingos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Universidade Lus\u00f3fona, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3001-3251","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Job","family":"Francisco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Law, Catholic University of Angola, Luanda P.O. Box 2064, Angola"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Gouveia, J.B. (2014). Direito Constitucional de Angola, IDILP\u2014Instituto do Direito de L\u00edngua Portuguesa. Available online: https:\/\/run.unl.pt\/bitstream\/10362\/121497\/1\/Direito_Constitucional_de_Angola_2014.pdf."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Di\u00e1rio da Rep\u00fablica (2025, March 03). Lei de Revis\u00e3o Constitucional. Primeira Revis\u00e3o\/2021, Available online: https:\/\/plataformacipra.gov.ao\/public\/ficheiros\/arquivos\/Gov_AngolaConstitui%C3%A7%C3%A3o190102230948141675284494.pdf."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Di\u00e1rio da Rep\u00fablica (2025, March 01). Lei Org\u00e2nica do Poder Local. 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