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RELIGION IN CONTEMPORARY ZIMBABWE

Britain Zimbabwe Society & Centre for African Studies,
University of Oxord
at St Antony's College, Woodstock Road


PROGRAMME

SATURDAY, JUNE 19TH : AFRICAN RELIGION IN ZIMBABWE

(Registration 9 to 9.30 a.m.)

Session One. 9.30 to 11 am. SPIRIT MEDIUMS

Professor Ruramisai Charumbira, History, University of Texas: Nehanda, History and Memory, 1896-2010.

Dr Joost Fontein, Anthropology, University of Edinburgh: Trouble-making spirits. Some notorious mediums in Zimbabwe.

Chair: Professor Marja Spierenburg, Amsterdam, author of Strangers, Spirits and Land Reforms.

Session Two. 11.30 to 1 pm. AFRICAN RELIGION IN WESTERN ZIMBABWE

Lynette Nyathi, M.A., University of Leeds: The Mwali shrines in Contemporary Zimbabwe and their interaction with Christianity.

Pathisa Nyathi, Bulawayo: Religious Interactions in Western Zimbabwe.

Chair: Professor Wendy Urban Mead, Bard College

Session Three. 2 to 3.30 WITCHCRAFT BELIEF

Professor Gordon Chavunduka, President, ZINATHA: The new witchcraft legislation in Zimbabwe.

Terence Ranger: Anti-witchcraft movements in Zimbabwe.

Chair: Dr David Pratten, Director, African Studies Centre, Oxford

Session Four. 4 to 5.30 OTHER AFRICAN RELIGIONS IN ZIMBABWE

Zoe Groves, History, Keele: Malawian religion in Zimbabwe.

Dr JoAnn McGregor, Geography, UCL and Dr Siambabala Bernard Manyena: Religion and Tonga Identity.

Chair: Professor Jocelyn Alexander, Oxford.

Session Five 5.30 to 6.30

Discussion of the first day led by Terence Ranger.

After dinner: An illustrated presentation on Zimbabwe Gospel Music by Professor Ezra Chitando, Religious Studies, University of Zimbabwe. And showing of a recently completed film on Zimbabwean Christianity by James Ault.

SUNDAY JUNE 20th: CHRISTIANITY IN ZIMBABWE

Session One. 9.30 to 11. African Women and Christianity

Barbara Mahamba, OCMS: Catholic Women Activists and African Nuns in Matabeleland.

Professor Wendy Urban Mead, History, Bard College: Protestant Women Activists in Matabeleland.

Chair: Dr Martha Chinouya, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Session Two. 11.30 to 1. CHRISTIANITY AND ‘CIVILIZATION’.

Professor Diana Jeater, History, UWE: Missionaries and the Construction of African Modernities in Zimbabwe.

Dominic Pasura, UCL: Zimbabwean Christians confront British Modernity

Chair: Dr Sara Rich Dorman, Political Science, Edinburgh.

Session Three: 2 to 3.30. THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SACED TEXTS

A round-table discussion between Dr Matthew Engelke, Anthropology, LSE, author of A Problem of Presence and Dr Thomas Kirsch, Goldsmiths, author of Spirits and Letters. Reading, Writing and Charisma in African Christianity.

Chair: Professor Terence Ranger

Session Four. 4 to 5.30. SPIRIT CHRISTIANITY

A round-table discussion between Professor David Maxwell, author of African Gifts of the Spirit, and Professor Richard Werbner, Anthropology, Manchester, author of a forthcoming book on Apostolics in Botswana.

Chair: Professor Paul Gifford. SOAS.

Session Five: 5.30 to 6.30. COMPARISONS AND CONCLUSIONS

A final discussion led by Professor Maxwell.

Dr Ben Knighton, Anthropology, OCMS, editor of Religion and Politics in Kenya: Confrontation and Compliance, will draw some comparisons and contrasts.

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Copyright 2010