Personality Cult and Politics in Mugabe's Zimbabwe

This book explores how Robert Gabriel Mugabe became the focus of a personality cult in Zimbabwe and the Global South, examining the use of ideology and mythology to promote his hegemony. It provides new insights into how different actors deployed religious idioms to support or critique Mugabe in the final years of his rule.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 194 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the complex perceptions of Robert Gabriel Mugabe within Zimbabwe and beyond during his influential period in power and towards the end of his tenure in government. It explores the intriguing phenomenon of Mugabe's rise to prominence as the center of a vibrant personality cult, examining the argument that he can be considered the founder of a new religious movement in Zimbabwe and the Global South. The book's contributors analyze the strategic use of ideology and mythology to consolidate Mugabe's hegemony in Zimbabwe, examining how the Mugabe government appropriated religious ideas and their impact on perceptions of Mugabe both within Zimbabwe and internationally.

In the final years of Mugabe's rule, the chapters offer fresh perspectives on how various actors, including politicians, African Traditional Religions, African Independent/Initiated Churches, Pentecostal churches, the media, and others, deployed religious idioms to support or critique Mugabe amidst mounting threats to his tenure. This book holds immense interest for students and scholars of Southern African politics and religion, providing a deep and insightful exploration of the multifaceted dynamics surrounding Mugabe's reign.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367524463