'An important and interventionist text on contemporary Zimbabwean politics. ... Dorman's book does more than offer a responsible analysis of contemporary Zimbabwe; it also dispels myths and shallow analyses of the recent Zimbabwean past.'
African Studies Review
'Sara Rich Dorman offers us an original, refreshing and well thought-out understanding of Zimbabwe's complex contemporary politics. With her focus on ... Read morethe articulation and deployment of power and the role of non-state actors (NGOs and others) in politics, Dorman succeeds not only in enriching Zimbabwean studies but also the broader modes of writing African contemporary history and politics.'
Sabelo J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni editor of Mugabeism? History, Politics and Power in Zimbabwe and author of The Decolonial Mandela: Peace, Justice and Politics of Life
'For many African states we lack authoritative texts that explain their political history and bring it up to date in a thorough and balanced way. With Sara Rich Dorman's readable and insightful volume, this gap has been filled for Zimbabwe. If you are looking for one book to read on Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF you cannot do much better than this.'
Nic Cheeseman, Associate Professor of African Politics, Oxford University
'Sara Rich Dorman provides a comprehensive and thoughtful narrative of the tragedy of politics in Zimbabwe after the triumph of its liberation movement. Instead of demonising Mugabe, she explains the resilience of the Zimbabwe African National Union, which used the tools of coercion, distribution of resources, and ideological positioning to maintain itself as the exclusive representative of the nation.'
Frederick Cooper, author of Africa in the World: Capitalism, Empire, Nation-State
'Dorman shines a light on the large amount of academic work that has been done by Zimbabweans and outsiders on the puzzle that is Zimababwe. ... There is much tragedy behind [her] assessment of the state of affairs ... This is a valuable contribution.'
The Round Table
'Understanding Zimbabwe is a remarkably original, expansive and analytical text. There is no shortage of academic books on Zimbabwe, few however, resemble Sara Rich Dorman's monograph and unique insights into the operation of counter-hegemonic forces.
Nick Branson, Senior Researcher at Africa Research Institute
`Sara Rich Dorman provides a robust explanation for the longevity of the Mugabe-led regime in Zimbabwe, analysing the interests, coercive power and underlying public discourse that sustained the Mugabe regime over a 37-year period.' Show Less