This thesis argues that the land question in Malawi can be resolved through the emergence of a responsibilized State under people–generated responsibilization. People–generated responsibilization is a holistic, bottom–up approach to tackling asymmetrical access to, and ownership of, land in the country. This, it is suggested, must entail proactive, people–based action for a triangulated approach to land reform involving law, macroeconomic frameworks like poverty reduction strategies, and the adherence to the terms of governing under the Constitution. The broad context of the research is that since the mid–1990s, Malawi has joined the ‘new wave’ of land reform. The new wave takes place amidst the re– conceptualization of ‘development’ in development discourse through a supposedly decentred focus on economic growth. The new donor consensus is that land reform must be more human–centred and foster pro–poor economic growth. It is in this environment that Malawi adopted the National Land Policy in 2002. The Policy is meant to guide the country’s land reform and contribute to sustained economic growth. The new wave is problematic since it perpetuates land reform approaches of the law and development movement whereby land reform becomes land law reform. The ‘customary’ space is subjected to a process of formalization and privatization of the right to property in land ostensibly to boost economic growth. This approach is narrow and undermines the resolution of a land question. Using the Foucauldian ‘idea’ of governmentality, the thesis examines situations and processes that have entrenched the land question in Malawi. There is a multiverse of the parochial interests of the State, the Bretton Woods Institutions, ‘commercial’ farmers, and the land deprived. The narrow focus on land law reform demonstrates the dominance of market as value and entrenches the land question in Malawi.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:566810 |
| Date | January 2010 |
| Creators | Silungwe, Chikosa Mozesi |
| Publisher | University of Warwick |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/53165/ |
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