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SUMMARY:'Zimbabwe is my Home': Political Exclusion\, Citizenship and Belon
 ging in Urban Zimbabwe  - Dr Zoe Groves (Lecturer in African History\, Uni
 versity of Cambridge) 
DTSTART:20160208T170000Z
DTEND:20160208T183000Z
UID:TALK63744@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Victoria Jones
DESCRIPTION:In May 2013\, a new constitution was passed into law in Zimbab
 we\, reintroducing dual citizenship for citizens by birth. Citizenship law
 s had become increasingly exclusive since independence\, leaving many poli
 tically disenfranchised and labelled ‘aliens’ by the state. Notwithsta
 nding the introduction of the new constitution\, a great deal of confusion
  remains over the right to hold dual citizenship\, and the eligibility of 
 those with ‘foreign’ ancestry to (re)claim full rights. This paper out
 lines changes in citizenship law since independence\, highlighting the exp
 eriences of urban residents and their responses to state practices of poli
 tical exclusion. Two important issues are raised: firstly\, the confusing 
 number of changes made to citizenship law are noted\, as well as the durat
 ion over which Zimbabwean residents have continued to be regarded as forei
 gn. Secondly\, urban residents’ sense of belonging or connection to mult
 iple territories and homes is highlighted by drawing from personal narrati
 ves. Strikingly\, in the face of potent anti-foreign propaganda by the sta
 te and episodes of extreme political violence\, I argue that convivial eve
 ryday relations largely persist in these communities\, creating space for 
 the expression of transnational identities in the Zimbabwean postcolonial 
 urban context.
LOCATION:Seminar Room S1 Alison Richard Building\, 7 West Road\, Cambridge
  CB3 9DT
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