The first single-volume history of Zimbabwe with detailed coverage from pre-colonial times to the present, this book examines Zimbabwe's pre-colonial, colonial and postcolonial social, economic and political history and relates historical factors and trends to recent developments in the country. Zimbabwe is a country with a rich history, dating from the early San hunter-gatherer societies. The arrival of British imperial rule in 1890 impacted the country tremendously, as the European rulers exploited Zimbabwe's resources, giving rise to a movement of African nationalism and demands for independence. This culminated in the armed conflict of the 1960s and 1970s and independence in 1980. The 1990s were marked by economic decline and the rise of opposition politics. In 1999, Mugabe embarked on a violent land reform program that plunged the nation's economy into a downward spiral, with political violence and human rights violations making Zimbabwe an international pariah state. This book will be useful to those studying Zimbabwean history and those unfamiliar with the country's past.

In this first comparative study of Chinese and Zimbabwean railway experiences, Gao examines the role played by technological progress in generating significant social change. His principal concern is with indigenous people whose efforts to meet this technological advance has been neglected or underestimated. Gao shows how different cultural traditions, political situations, and individual interests create an attractive variety of local responses to the challenges and opportunities afforded by technology. He not only describes the final consequences of railway development, but emphasizes the dynamic process by which indigenous people first derived, then gradually lost, most of the gains from modern transport advances. In addition, Gao explores a number of permanent impacts of railways on the two areas, including demographic and structural changes, and divisions of race and class. An intriguing study for researchers and students of imperialism, and Chinese and African history.

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the west, Zambia to the north, and Mozambique to the east. The country has a population of approximately 14.4 million people, with the majority living in rural areas. Zimbabwe gained its independence from British colonial rule in 1980 and has been governed by the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) since then. Zimbabwe's economy has faced many challenges in recent years, including hyperinflation, a shortage of foreign currency, and political instability. Agriculture is the largest sector of the economy, with the majority of the population engaged in subsistence farming. The country is also rich in minerals such as gold, platinum, and diamonds. Despite its economic struggles, Zimbabwe remains a popular tourist destination, known for its wildlife, natural beauty, and historical landmarks such as Great Zimbabwe, a 15th-century stone city that is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The classic reference work that provides annually updated information on the countries of the world.

No detailed description available for "1987-1988".

This important book is the first in-depth history of the Rhodesian railway system. Covering the period 1888-1947, when the Rhodesian railway system was privately owned by Cecil Rhode's British South Africa Company, this book uses the Rhodesian railway system as a prism through which it refracts many dimensions of the imperial experience in central and southern Africa, ranging from the impulses underpinning the regional ambitions of Rhodes himself to the origins of black worker protest in the Rhodesias.

Independent Museums and Culture Centres in Colonial and Post-colonial Zimbabwe presents case studies that grapple with the issue of ‘decolonising practice’ in privately owned museums and cultural centres in Zimbabwe. Including contributions from academics and practitioners, this book focusses on privately run cultural institutions and highlights that there has, until now, been scant scholarly information about their existence and practice. Arguing that the recent resurgence of such museums, which are not usually obliged to endorse official narratives of the central government, points to some desire to decolonise and indigenise museums, the contributors explore approaches that have been used to reconfigure such colonially inherited institutions to suit the post-colonial terrain. The volume also explores how privately owned museums can tap into or contribute to current conversations on decoloniality that encourage reflexivity, inclusivity, de-patriarchy, multivocality, community participation, and agency. Exploring the motives and purpose of such institutions, the book argues that they are being utilised to confront deeply entrenched stigmatisation and marginalisation. Independent Museums and Culture Centres in Colonial and Post-colonial Zimbabwe demonstrates that post-colonial African museums have become an arena for negotiating history, legacies, and identities. The book will be of interest to academics and students around the world who are engaged in the study of museums and heritage, African studies, history, and culture. It will also appeal to museum practitioners working across Africa and beyond.

The classic reference work that provides annually updated information on the countries of the world.