Make Great Zimbabwe Great Again A study of the political usage of Great Zimbabwe 1980–2020

Abstract

The purpose of this master’s thesis is to show how Great Zimbabwe was politically used during the period 1980-2020. This work was also carried out with the aim to examine and nuance how archaeology is used within the framework of nationalism, and how cultural heritage is used by political organizations for different purposes. The essay applies a theoretical perspective based on critical cultural heritage studies. The essay’s material consists of archaeological texts which deal with Great Zimbabwe, the material also consists of news articles, political speeches, and interviews with Zimbabwean archaeologists. This material is studied through an in-depth literature study. What is made clear in this thesis is that the Great Zimbabwe monument has different purposes during different periods. The thesis concludes that initially between 1980 and 2000, Great Zimbabwe was used in the creation of a new Zimbabwean identity, but at the onset of the 21st century this role changes towards a more active one. The study suggests that Zimbabwe´s severe economic downturn over the last two decades has resulted in an increase in the political usage of Great Zimbabwe.