Historical constructions of postcolonial citizenship and subjectivity

ThisstudyexaminesnotionsofidentityexperiencedbytheLozi peopleswhose homeland istheUpperZambeziValleyregionofCentral SouthernAfrica, known at various times in its history as Barotseland. Throughoutthecolonialandpostcolonialperiodsthisregionhasenduredunderdevelopment and socio-eonomic isolation and is often said to have beenincorporated into the Republic of Zambiaon unfavourableterms. The comparative lack of developmenttodaycontrastssharplywithpre-colonialpoliticalandeconomicdynamicsinwhichthe Lozi peopleswerethecontrollingpoliticalandeconomicpoweroftheregion premised on centralised political and economic power mediated by efficient mangement of ecological goods and services in and around the Bulozi floodplain.Partially as a result of isolation and a sense of disillusionment with the postcolonial stateLozisfrequently turntotheirstrong,communitarian cultureandasociallyconstructedgolden pastthat speaks ofpower andwealthto providenotionsofidentity and a sense of otherness to outsiders. In the current era, socio-economic isloation is reducing as the globalised world impinges on local culture and development