Call for Papers: Zambia Independence and After, 08/05
'ZAMBIA: INDEPENDENCE AND AFTER. TOWARDS A
HISTORIOGRAPHY' (CALL FOR PAPERS)
This is a first call for papers to be presented at a
Conference scheduled for Lusaka from August 11 - 14,
2005, under the auspices of the Network for Historical
Research in Zambia. Launched at the beginning of 2003,
the NHRZ is a Zambia-based organisation open to
historians and all other social scientists. Its chief
aim is to foster the cooperation and exchange of
information between researchers and institutions with
an interest in Zambian history.
Introduction
In contrast to the rich tradition of academic analysis
and understanding of the pre-colonial and colonial
history of Zambia, the trajectory of post-colonial
Zambia has been all but ignored by historians. The
assumptions of developmentalism, the cultural hegemony
of UNIP orthodoxy and its conflation with national
interests, and a narrow focus on Zambia's diplomatic
role in Southern African affairs, have all contributed
to a dearth of studies on the diverse lived experiences
of Zambians. Zambia's economic decline and the
consequent reduction in practical opportunities for
research (particularly for Zambian scholars) have also
prevented the development of a grounded post-colonial
historiography. Much work since the late 1980s has
taken the form of disparate studies inspired by new
interests in democratisation, economic liberalization,
and other trends. These studies, though pertinent to
the country's current concerns, are often
insufficiently contextualized in Zambian history and
culture. Whilst the limited studies of national
political trends paint an artificially uniform picture,
the available micro-studies have failed to relate the
important local dynamics which they have identified to
broader themes and problématiques. The task, therefore,
is the creation of a new Zambian historiography which
establishes for the first time a coherent understanding
of major processes and currents in nationalist and
independent Zambia, whilst enabling a more perceptive
examination of the interplay between local and central
factors.
Exciting recent historical initiatives in Zambia are
making such a development possible. A flurry of
political memoirs and the new availability of the
personal papers of leading political actors are
providing unprecedented insights into key questions of
late colonial and post-colonial history. New evidence
is also coming to light as a result of the
strengthening and expansion of the National Archives of
Zambia and the activities of its Non-Governmental
Archives Unit, which has recently published a
long-awaited First Guide to Non-Governmental Archives
in Zambia.
Zambian and Western researchers grouped together in the
NHRZ believe that this Conference will provide an
opportune forum for highlighting both this growing body
of historical materials and ongoing research based upon
them. The Conference should also help identify new
areas which await historical investigation. It is
anticipated that some of the papers presented at the
Conference will be published in a special volume edited
by the convenors.
Themes
Most papers are expected to fall within the following
thematic areas, though suggestions of different
research subjects are also welcome.
Zambian Scholarship in Historical Perspective. The
influence of the Rhodes-Livingstone Institute's
scholarly output on the development of Zambian studies.
The impact of nationalist assumptions on early
post-colonial scholarship. The rise and fall of the
University of Zambia's School of Humanities. Conditions
for the emergence of a new post-colonial
historiography.
Political Unity & Dissent. The extent and limitations
of the political hegemony of the United National
Independence Party. Opposition political parties and
underground political movements. The emergence and
governance of the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy.
Expressions of dissent in the Third Republic.
Forms & Meanings of Ethnicity. The ethnic factor in
nationalist politics. Ethnicity in post-colonial
Zambia: the impact of party politics and changing
leadership styles. The legacy of colonial notions of
'tribalism'. Chiefly authority in post-colonial Zambia.
The Dynamics of Locality. Centre and periphery dynamics
in nationalist and post-colonial politics. Local
power-brokers and the control of resources and
patronage. District-level perceptions of 'development'.
Divergent patterns of provincial 'development'.
Religion & Social Change. The Church and nationalist
movements. Religious contributions and responses to
changing UNIP ideologies and policies. The rising
influence of charismatic churches since the 1980s.
Economic Expectations & Realities. Nationalism and
post-colonial popular expectations. The social and
political impact of economic nationalisation. Zambia's
enduring mono-economy and economic decline since the
1970s. Economic liberalisation and privatisation.
Urban History & Identity. The social and political
effects of urban-rural labour migration.
De-industrialization and return migration. Zambia's
uniquely urban identity. The city in the village; the
village in the city. City-planning and health.
Health & Healing. Recent developments in
anthropological ideas about the 'meaning in misfortune'
and the realm of the symbolic in religion and healing.
Current health challenges in Zambia and their impact on
medical anthropology, medical sociology and the history
of medicine.
Cultural Trends & Expressions. The symbolism of a
unified Zambia at Independence. The invention and
revival of 'traditional' ceremonies. Popular culture
and changing social mores. Expressions of sexuality and
representations of gender.
Expressions of interest and abstracts should be sent by
30 September 2004 to the following address:
Network for Historical Research
PO Box 27
UNZA Post Office
Lusaka
ZAMBIA
Email: nhrz@zamnet.zm
Please copy your e-mail to any of the following
organisers:
Dr. Jan-Bart Gewald (African Studies Centre, Leiden),
GEWALD@FSW.leidenuniv.nl
Prof. David Gordon (University of Maryland), dg165@umail.umd.edu
Dr. Marja Hinfelaar (National Archives of Zambia; Treasurer, NHRZ),
marja@zamnet.zm
Dr. Webby S. Kalikiti (Head, History Dept., UNZA), wkalikiti@hss.unza.zm
Mr. Miles Larmer (University of Sheffield), mileslarmer@softhome.net
Dr. Giacomo Macola (Centre of African Studies, Cambridge; Secretary,
NHRZ), gmacola@hotmail.com
Prof. Bizeck J. Phiri (Dean, School of Humanities & Social Sciences,
UNZA; Chairperson, NHRZ), bphiri@hss.unza.zm
Page Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar, Ph.D.