Learning on the Streets: Urban Youth and Vending in Zimbabwe, 2019-2022

Existing scholarship on political socialisation has predominantly generated knowledge on ‘socialisation mechanisms’ in Western settings; about the role of family, peers, schooling and civic associations for developing mainly civic forms of behaviour. Research in Africa has, however, mainly looked at the socialisation of violent youth, in/into gangs and violent extremism. The project addressed an important gap in knowledge by developing a new conceptual framework for studying political socialisation for contexts where the conventional models may not apply. As many African, urban youth work in the informal economy, this study will examine urban spaces and networks as sites for political socialisation; and conceptualize everyday experiences as socialization mechanism. The study was conducted in Zimbabwe. The findings show how urban spaces for informal trading are politized, and part of ruling party patronage. Young people's political understanding and agency form over time through the witnessing, experiencing and exposure to manifestations of authoritarian politics within everyday urban spaces. The findings demonstrate that past and present socialization experiences accumulate and become embodied knowledge concerning how authoritarian politics ‘work’ in Zimbabwe.