A Socio-Environmental History of Dispossession and Displacement in the Zimunya, Marange, and Bvumba (Chirara) Communities of Eastern Zimbabwe, 1920-2015

Congratulations to Mathew Ruguwa for successfully defending his doctoral thesis, A Socio-Environmental History of Dispossession and Displacement in the Zimunya, Marange, and Bvumba (Chirara) Communities of Eastern Zimbabwe, 1920-2015.

His Committee Members included Dr. Timothy Stapleton, (Supervisor, History) ; Dr. George William Colpitts, Supervisory Committee Member, (History ); Dr. Rowland Anyebadek Apentiik, Supervisory Committee Member, (Anthropology) ; Dr. Diane Elaine Lyons, Internal Examiner, (Archaeology);  Prof. Alois Simon (Mhovsa) Mlambo, External Examiner, University of Pretoria, South Africa.

We asked Mathew to provide us with some insight into his thesis, and his Graduate studies experience in the Department of History at the University of Calgary.

Tell us about your thesis topic

It explores the lived experiences of the Zimunya, Marange, and Bvumba inhabitants of eastern Zimbabwe as they were shaped by dispossession and displacements from the 1920s to 2015. The thesis highlights the endurance of the family institution in times of trouble. It uses historical episodes such as the rise of settler capitalist agriculture during the colonial period, recurring droughts, the 1970s war of independence, the National Resistance Movement Mozambique (RENAMO) war of the 1980s - 90s, and diamond extraction in Marange during the 2000s to illustrate the intersectionality between dispossession, familial resilience and creativity. The major argument of the study is that land alienation, forced displacements and natural disasters were integral in the socio-economic, cultural and environmental landscape transformations undergone by the Zimunya, Marange and Bvumba communities since the 1920s and that human beings are not only agents but also objects of these transformations.  It intervenes in the debates over agriculture, environment, development – related projects, warfare, and mineral related conflict showing how rural inhabitants have been negatively affected by land alienation and forced displacements of different types since the arrival of white settlers. The other contribution of this study is that it adds another dimension on how African communities assign value and meaning to land as a territory and as a ritual, economic and political resource.   

What were the most valuable outcomes of the Graduate program for you?

The most valuable outcomes were the financial support, educational resources, and the platforms to present my research which were made possible by the graduate program.

What are the next steps/plans for you?

The next steps for me involve a job or studying for a Post-Doctorate.