
Chipo Dendere
Assistant Professor of Africana Studies
Links
I am a Zimbabwean-born scholar specializing in political science, focusing on the factors that influence party survival and democratization in the developing world. I completed my Bachelor of Science degrees in Political Science and Psychology at Linfield College in Oregon. In 2015, I earned my Ph.D. in Political Science at Georgia State University under the supervision of Dr. Daniel Young.
My forthcoming book, Death, Diversion, and Departure: Voter Exit and the Persistence of Autocracy in Zimbabwe (Cambridge University Press), examines the impact of voter exit through migration and death on the endurance of authoritarian regimes. I argue that voter exit plays a critical role in the longevity of long-serving governments. When voters leave their home countries, the regime tends to survive. My multimethod approach includes three hundred ethnographic interviews conducted in four countries, along with quantitative analysis of various datasets.
Despite strong opposition and a citizenry eager for change, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) has remained in power since 1980. A wealth of literature exists on election manipulation, violence, and political abuse by ZANU-PF, attempting to explain its survival. My research contributes to this body of work by showing that this enduring power has been partly enabled by the forced migration of millions of Zimbabweans in response to the country's prolonged economic and political decline since 2000. While most migration studies focus on the impact of brain drain on sending countries, my research offers a novel perspective, arguing that migration, or voter exit, can also undermine democracy.
I am particularly proud of my research linking AIDS to regime survival, as there has been little scholarship connecting public health crises to the endurance of autocratic regimes. The declining political and economic conditions in Zimbabwe exacerbated the AIDS pandemic, leading to thousands of deaths and further contributing to voter exit through both migration and increased mortality. The loss of voters—many of whom were urban professionals or working-class individuals likely to support pro-democracy initiatives—hampered the opposition’s ability to challenge ZANU-PF’s grip on power. Consequently, the ruling party has benefited from what I term a "voter exit premium." The deaths of millions of potential voters from urban centers significantly weakened the opposition, while the government implemented policies that worsened the AIDS crisis. The pandemic also fractured families and left over a million children in orphanages. My interviews with adults raised in these orphanages suggest long-lasting adverse effects on political engagement. Additionally, the AIDS pandemic disproportionately impacted artists, especially musicians, whose political voices were silenced.
I have also written about the role of money in politics, the impact of social media in authoritarian states, and the influence of natural resources—such as chocolate (yes, cacao)—on politics. Currently, I am working on my second book, The Politics of African First Ladies.
It is a rare privilege to have a job that I love. I find that I cannot conduct meaningful research without teaching, and I cannot teach effectively without engaging in rigorous research. When I teach, I strive to excite students about the complexities of political science. In my African politics courses, I encourage students to challenge previously held assumptions about the continent. By the end of the semester, students should understand that Africa is not a country and recognize that political institutions existed before colonialism. They should see how pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial politics continue to influence contemporary African politics. I also challenge students to think critically about methodology and theory.
I am actively involved in various service activities, including serving on the African Politics Conference Group committee and the NEWSA Program committee. Additionally, I often contribute to blogs for the Washington Post's Monkey Cage and Mischiefs of Faction, and I share political analysis on outlets such as BBC, Al Jazeera, and CNN.
In my free time, I enjoy doing yoga, walking or jogging, reading fiction, watching TV, blogging about personal finance, and thinking about entrepreneurship in Africa.
Education
- B.A., Linfield College
- M.A., Georgia State University
- Ph.D., Georgia State University
Current and upcoming courses
Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Black Diaspora, Political Experiences in Pandemics
AFR330
The ongoing global pandemic and elections have revived conversations on race and the marginalization of the Black Diaspora. In this course, we will engage with the various ways in which black people practice politics in Africa and elsewhere in the diaspora. We will pay special attention to the ongoing impact of national politics on the global pandemic. Scholars taking the course will each week respond to a reading by writing public facing work such as blogs, editorials and/or opinion pieces, and other forms of public writing. A primary goal in this course is to learn how to bring academic arguments to the general public.
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Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Black Diaspora, Political Experiences in Pandemics
AFR330H
The ongoing global pandemic and elections have revived conversations on race and the marginalization of the Black Diaspora. In this course, we will engage with the various ways in which black people practice politics in Africa and elsewhere in the diaspora. We will pay special attention to the ongoing impact of national politics on the global pandemic. Scholars taking the course will each week respond to a reading by writing public facing work such as blogs, editorials and/or opinion pieces, and other forms of public writing. A primary goal in this course is to learn how to bring academic arguments to the general public. -
Unpacking Blackness, Ethnicity and Identity in the African Diaspora
AFR215
This course is designed to examine the meaning of race and ethnicity and the determinants and fluidity of membership in a particular racial or ethnic group. We will also explore different ways to measure ethnic and racial identification and how ethnicity affects attitudes, economic development, social mobilization and migration. We will seek to assess to what extent ethnic and racial identities shape trust and prejudice, and examine the impact of ethnic diversity on development and the provision of public goods. Analyses will be made of ethnic and racial electoral politics and the varying extent and impact of ethnic voting patterns in relation to democratic governance and ethnic conflict. -
Unpacking Blackness, Ethnicity and Identity in the African Diaspora
AFR215H
This course is designed to examine the meaning of race and ethnicity and the determinants and fluidity of membership in a particular racial or ethnic group. We will also explore different ways to measure ethnic and racial identification and how ethnicity affects attitudes, economic development, social mobilization and migration. We will seek to assess to what extent ethnic and racial identities shape trust and prejudice, and examine the impact of ethnic diversity on development and the provision of public goods. Analyses will be made of ethnic and racial electoral politics and the varying extent and impact of ethnic voting patterns in relation to democratic governance and ethnic conflict.