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Conflict in perpetuity? Examining Zimbabwe’s protracted social conflict through the lens of land reform

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation analyses the relationship between civil society and political leadership within
the context of Zimbabwe’s protracted social conflict, particularly through the lens of land
policy. Through the use of strategic informants, it yields important insights into the origins,
form and impact of political leadership and civil society in a way that will expose the dynamics
of elite and grassroots mobilisation and the political context in which land policy is either made
or obstructed. Specifically, this dissertation examines two research questions. First, if political
leadership is not representative of the citizenry, is land policy more likely to engender overt
conflict? Second, if civil society has an autonomous role in the public sphere, is land policy
more likely to benefit citizens? This dissertation also confronts an emerging empirical problem:
the absence of descriptive data in regards to how civil society and political leadership have
engaged in reforming land policy in Zimbabwe during the period of transition from 2008 to
2013. By measuring representation and autonomy – indicators of human needs satisfaction– this
dissertation traced each phase of the protracted social conflict as it both helped to create the
conditions for a liberation model of representation while simultaneously further exacerbating
protracted social conflict within Zimbabwe. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ontleed die verhouding tussen die burgerlike samelewing en politieke leierskap
veral deur die lens van grondbeleid, binne die konteks van Zimbabwe se uitgerekte sosiale
konflik. Dit het ten doel om belangrike insigte op te lewer in die oorsprong, vorm en impak van
politieke leierskap en die burgerlike samelewing. Die word blootgestel in 'n manier wat die
dinamika van die elite en mobilisering op grondvlak in ag neem soweel as die politieke konteks
waarin grondbeleid óf gemaak is of belemmer word. Hierdie tesis konfronteer ook 'n
opkomende empiriese probleem: die afwesigheid van beskrywende data met betrekking tot die
betrokkenheod van die burgerlike samelewing en politieke leierskap tydens die
grondhervorming proses in Zimbabwe gedurende die tydperk van oorgang tussen 2008 en 2013.
Deur die meting van verteenwoordiging en outonomie - aanwysers van menslike behoeftes
bevrediging - word elke fase van die uitgerekte sosiale konflik ondersoek met betrekking tot
hoe ‘n bevryding model van verteenwoordigheid beide gehelp het om die voorwaardes te
skepvir die eindeiging van die PSC; maar terselfdertyd het dit ook die sosiale konflik in
Zimbabwe verder uitgerek. !

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/96932
Date04 1900
CreatorsSims, Bryan M.
ContributorsDu Toit, Pierre, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Formatxiv, 309 pages
RightsStellenbosch University

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