Death, Diversion and Departure
Chipo Dendere, Wellesley College, Massachusetts
Pre Order from Cambridge University Press, (here)
Death, Diversion, and Departure: Voter Exit and the Persistence of Authoritarianism in Zimbabwe is a must-read for anyone following current politics. Through gripping prose and meticulous research, Dr. Chipo Dendere shows how the emigration and/or death of young, progressive voters creates opportunities for authoritarian regimes to survive. Using Zimbabwe as a case study, Dr. Dendere shows how the lack of young, urban, and working professional voters because of mass death due to AIDS and mass migration in the wake of economic decline has increased the resilience of a regime that may have otherwise lost power. With authoritarianism on the rise globally and many citizens considering leaving home, Death, Diversion, and Departure provides timely insights into the impact of voter exit.
“Chipo Dendere is rightly seen as one of the most insightful analysts of contemporary Zimbabwe. This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand why the opposition are so weak, and why ZANU-PF are still in power”
— Nic Cheeseman, author of Democracy in Africa, Professor of Democracy, University of Birmingham
Reviews
“This is a stunning book—sensitively drawing together quantitative and ethnographic data to reveal the impacts of human loss on loved ones and the nation.”
— Jill E. Kelly, Associate Professor of History, Southern Methodist University
“This book cuts through debates about why electoral autocracy has survived late into the 21st century in Zimbabwe with a fresh argument about the role of the HIV epidemic, the care work associated with illness and death, and emigration.”
— Lauren E. Young, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of California, Davis
