Saturday 20 June 2009, 9.00 - 5.00pm
St. Antony's College, 62 Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6JF
Nissan Lecture Theatre
http://www.sant.ox.ac.uk/about/directions.html
The BZS Research Day 2009 will explore Zimbabwe's military history, and historiography, both prior and post Independence. The military has often been a key stakeholder in national affairs, throughout Zimbabwe's history, and will continue to remain a major player for the foreseeable future. Zimbabwe's military history is thus inextricably linked to the nation's social, political and economic history, and research on Zimbabwe's conflicts and the military is a vital pathway to understanding the past.
The Research day will highlight a range of research questions, including: what is the current situation, in terms of ongoing research on Zimbabwe's military history? What are the most pressing gaps in our knowledge of Zimbabwe's soldiers and conflicts, past and present? What are the key insights and/or questions which have been uncovered by the various ongoing Zimbabwe oral and archival military history projects? What is the relationship between war and society? And, perhaps most importantly, how best can research on war and soldiers, be used constructively as Zimbabwe embarks on a fragile stabilisation and reconstruction process?
Zimbabwe's history - and her military history in particular - has always been, and continues to be a highly contested terrain. Throughout Zimbabwe's history, political groups have often tried to 'appropriate' history, and use it as a legitimation tool, particularly during times of extreme political and military conflict. This makes the work of researchers even more valuable, as they painstakingly detail what really happened, from a variety of sources, including oral, archival and secondary sources. Just as important are the first-hand accounts of current and former soldiers, and they too will present their accounts at Research Day.
There will be five sessions on the day, as well as a concluding discussion. The opening session will provide an historical overview of key aspects of Zimbabwe's military history. Each session will include opportunities for questions and comments from the floor. The summation will draw together the main strands from the Day and suggest the most fruitful avenues for future research.
* * *
Programme - War and Soldiers: Understanding the Past, Building the Future
09.00 - 09.30: Registration
09.30 - 10.30 Zimbabwe's Military History & Military Historiography: the longer view
Pathisa Nyathi [Bulawayo] - Beyond Military Tactics and Strategies: War, Soldiers and the Metaphysical in the Ndebele State [delivered by Marieke Clarke ]
Terence Ranger [Oxford ] - The World Wars in Zimbabwe's Military History
10.30 - 10.50 Tea/Coffee
10.50 - 12.05 Remembering the past: Oral Histories
Christine Tazarurwa, [University of Bedfordshire] - Hurricanes and Healing: Oral History on the long- term effects of Military Service on Women Soldiers in ZANLA
Sue Onslow and Annie Bramley [LSE, London and UWE, Bristol] -Why Did you Fight? Oral Histories of White Members of the Rhodesian Forces
Jocelyn Alexander [Oxford] - Oral histories of soldiers in prison 1968-80"
12.05 - 13.30 Lunch
13.30 - 14.45 Locating the past: Sources for researching military forces in Zimbabwe's history
Gerald Mazarire [UZ, Harare] - ZANLA and ZIPRA sources
Kent Fedorowich and Tim Lovering [UWE, Bristol] - Rhodesian Forces sources
Geoff Quick [BSAPA UK] - British South Africa Police sources
14.45 - 15.10 Tea/Coffee
15.10 - 16.30 Military legacies: Building the Future?
Wilbert Sadomba [University of Johannesburg, SA] - War Veterans and the Land Occupations
Josephine Nhongo-Simbanegavi [University of Alabama, USA] - Title tbc.
Knox Chitiyo [RUSI, London] - Education and the Military in Zimbabwe, past present and future
16.30 - 17.00 : Conclusion/Summation: Diana Jeater [UWE, Bristol]
To register for the Research Day please use this form. For further information on the programme itself contact the convenors:
Knox Chitiyo knoxc@rusi.org
Professor Diana Jeater diana.jeater@uwe.ac.uk (AHRC funded academic)
Angelous Dube mahlean@yahoo.co.uk
And watch the BZS website: http://www.britain-zimbabwe.org.uk