{"id":244,"date":"2018-06-12T08:41:39","date_gmt":"2018-06-12T08:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ww5.msu.ac.zw\/research\/?p=244"},"modified":"2018-06-12T09:05:32","modified_gmt":"2018-06-12T09:05:32","slug":"call-for-papers-dams-society-and-the-environment-in-zimbabwe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ww5.msu.ac.zw\/research\/2018\/06\/12\/call-for-papers-dams-society-and-the-environment-in-zimbabwe\/","title":{"rendered":"Call for Papers: Dams, Society and the Environment in Zimbabwe"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cDams, Society and the Environment in Zimbabwe\u201d, <\/strong>19 \u2013 20 September 2018<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Most mega dam projects are established, justified and viewed through the optic of high modernism. This ideology of high modernism leads to an overriding belief in the power of scientific knowledge to alleviate poverty and generally improve the human condition through the development of state sanctioned engineering and technical projects such as irrigation schemes, resettlements and big dams. In essence, the development paradigm of high modernism implies far-reaching departure from history and tradition, its temporal focus is almost exclusively on a scientifically transformed and better future for the people. Generally, mega dams provide affordable hydroelectric power, spur the production of food and biofuels as well as allowing urban growth. \u00a0However, the major paradox of big dams such as Kariba, Osborne and Tokwe-Mukosi is that they do not only alter geographies and expose people to new disease ecologies but disrupt daily routines, severe social networks and, mostly, impair livelihoods through displacements of communities without adequate compensations and post-relocation structures. Displaced communities lose power and agency over their lives. This is mainly because dams are not planned and implemented in a more participatory way, they are exclusively established by national governments and international funding partners for \u2018public purpose\u2019 and \u2018national interest\u2019 imperatives. In the main, some mega dams generate disruptive material impacts such as loss of fields, homes, grazing lands and other private and communal resources. Therefore, the proposed multi-disciplinary conference on \u201cDams, Society and the Environment<\/em><\/strong> in Zimbabwe<\/em><\/strong>\u201d aims to bring together scholars from different disciplines and fields to deliberate on the underexplored impacts of dams or artificial water bodies on human development in Zimbabwe. In light of the emerging Tokwe-Mukosi Dam, Zimbabwe\u2019s newest and largest in land mega dam, presenters and participants can envision inclusive and economically just and equitable post-relocation models which ensure that all affected people benefit from the \u2018dam construction dividend.\u2019<\/p>\n

Papers are expected to explore, amongst others, the following topics:<\/p>\n