Internal displacement, victim (non-)compensation, and the politics of the caring state in Zimbabwe

Charlse Dube and Elmon Mudefi

Development in Practice, 2025, vol. 35, issue 7, 1166-1176

Abstract: This article examines the process of compensating internally displaced persons in Zimbabwe, revealing a stark contrast between the political rhetoric of a caring state and the reality of ongoing neglect. Utilising ethnographic data from Tokwe-Mukorsi displacement, the study argues that the government's approach to compensation reflects a complex interplay of political interests, economic constraints, and cultural insensitivity. Key findings include a lack of proper planning, challenges in valuing traditional assets and cultural heritage, and government’s limited prioritisation of the needs of the displaced, evidenced by deliberate delays in compensation and the diversion of allocated funds. By scrutinising the politics of care and neglect in the context of internal displacement, this research contributes to broader discussions on development-induced displacement, state responsibility, and the complexities of implementing just compensation policies in post-colonial African contexts.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/09614524.2025.2543348 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:cdipxx:v:35:y:2025:i:7:p:1166-1176

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/cdip20

DOI: 10.1080/09614524.2025.2543348

Access Statistics for this article

Development in Practice is currently edited by Emily Finlay

More articles in Development in Practice from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().