Rethinking Citizens and Democracy
by Tendai Murisa
Rethinking Citizens and Democracy interrogates the limits of state-centric governance and reframes democracy as a process driven by citizens’ agency, collective action, and everyday practices. Focusing on Zimbabwe, it highlights how citizens navigate crisis through informal networks, social capital, and adaptive strategies that compensate for weak formal institutions. The book argues that these “intangible” dynamics—identity, legitimacy, and community interaction—are central to understanding governance and development. It ultimately calls for a shift toward recognising citizen-led spaces and practices as foundational to democratic deepening and sustainable development.
