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ADMINISTRATORS' KNOWLEDGE AND STATE CONTROL IN COLONIAL ZIMBABWE: THE INVENTION OF THE RURAL–URBAN DIVIDE IN BUHERA DISTRICT, 1912–80

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2002

JENS A. ANDERSSON
JENS A. ANDERSSON
Affiliation:
Wageningen University
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Abstract

The power of the state to impose its self-produced categories of thought poses a major problem to Zimbabwe historiography which has often taken as unproblematic the relation between knowledge about, and control over, African societies as presented in the state's archives. This article challenges this hegemonic view of the colonial state, presenting an alternative interpretation of administrative reports on Buhera district. It shows how Buhera society became increasingly represented as the traditional, rural end of a rural-urban divide in colonial policy discourse, while, in reality, social life in the area became intimately linked to the urban economy of Salisbury.

Keywords

Zimbabwecolonialmigrationdevelopmentlabour
Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of African History , Volume 43 , Issue 1 , March 2002 , pp. 119 - 143
Copyright
© 2002 Cambridge University Press

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