An IASH Work-in-Progress seminar, delivered by Dr Albert Sharra (Postdoctoral Fellow, 2023-24).
The Roots, Colonial Legacy and Transformation of State Surveillance in Southern Africa
This talk focuses on political developments during the late years of colonialism and early years of independence in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe to examine the historical background of state surveillance against ‘enemies of the state’ in Southern Africa. These countries are former British colonies and were once under the British Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The Federation was created in 1953 and abolished in 1963 at the height of increased pressure for independence. This presentation treats the 10 years of the Federation and early years of independence in the three countries as years of state-building which created both the framing and ways of dealing with enemies of the state through surveillance. The talk sheds light on how strategies and systems put in place by colonial and independence governments to deal with enemies of the states inform today’s state surveillance in Southern Africa.
Please join in-person, or click the link below to join the webinar:
https://ed-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/81857401179
Passcode: 6aSe7GF7