The discipline of anthropology is of paramount importance when mitigating Zimbabwe's

contemporary problems in Zimbabwe because it helps to uncover the underlying causes of

conflicts, anthropology helps to understand the roles of indigenous people, anthropology helps
provide a deeper understanding of social and cultural barriers that prevent people from accessing
healthcare, anthropology reveals restoration of cultural heritage, anthropology assist individuals
to have self identification, it helps provide an understanding of political dynamics in the country,
it helps people to solve problems related to knowledge acquisition and educational systems in
different cultures , helps in the restoration of cultural heritage. Therefore the upcoming essay is
going to unravel the significance of applied anthropology when mitigating Zimbabwe’s
contemporary problems in detail.

Applied anthropology is simply anthropology put to use John Van Willigen (1993). It is any kind
of anthropological research that is done to solve practical problems. The discipline of applied
anthropology is an invaluable tool when attempting to understand and address problems faced by
any society. It is especially relevant in Zimbabwe, a historically complex nation with a turbulent
past. Since gaining independence in 1980, Zimbabwe has faced a range of issues, from political
and social instability to conflict and economic hardship. Zimbabwe's current situation.
Zimbabwe has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbating existing problems such
as poverty, unemployment, and food insecurity.

Firstly, applied anthropology is important in mitigating Zimbabwe's contemporary problems

because it helps to uncover the underlying causes of conflicts. Through conflicts in political,
economic and social sectors of society anthropology provides an insight to the causes and effects
of these conflicts. In recent years, Zimbabwe has experienced significant social and political
turmoil, with high unemployment rates, inequality, and ethnic divisions. In order to address these
issues effectively, there is a need for a holistic approach that bridges science, technology, and
society. Scoones (2005) Conflict within the economic sector has been brought forth through
poverty which is a highly depressing issue in Zimbabwe. Therefore, this depicts the importance
of anthropology in mitigating the problem of conflict within Zimbabwe as certain theories are
useful to deal with conflict for example in the economical sector the Marxists theory can be used
to deal with conflict between the groups of employer and the employees.
Furthermore applied anthropology is important in mitigating Zimbabwe's contemporary
problems because anthropology helps provide a deeper understanding of social and cultural
barriers that prevent people from accessing healthcare. For example amongst religious
institutions like Marange church people aren't allowed by their religious doctrine to sought
medical healthcare. Therefore, this highlights how relevantly useful anthropology can be as it
will provide an understanding on the connection of certain parts of societies and how they are
intertwined. In addition to healthcare, Sulaiman-Hill, Witt and Seshadri (2013) certain cultural
beliefs and poverty have limited the access to health in Zimbabwe. As it can provide a deeper
understanding of the social and cultural barriers that prevent people from accessing healthcare
and can identify strategies to overcome them. For example, research has suggested that
establishing mobile healthcare services in rural areas can help improve access to healthcare, as
has been seen in Mozambique (Moulin, 2007), making it applicable in Zimbabwe.

In addition to the above point on healthcare applied anthropology has been used in Zimbabwe to
design and implement effective health interventions. For example, Shumba (2011) the Centre for
Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research in Zimbabwe (CeSHHAR) has used applied
anthropology to develop and implement HIV prevention programs that are culturally appropriate
and effective. CeSHHAR works with community members, including sex workers, to understand
their needs and design interventions that are tailored to their specific needs. The organization
also uses community-based participatory research (CBPR) to involve community members in
every stage of the research process.

More so applied anthropology is important in mitigating the contemporary problems in

Zimbabwe because anthropology assist individuals to have self identification. Through
anthropology being a discipline that focuses on culture it has certain concepts and theories for
example the theory of cultural relativism is quite useful as it explores on how people differ due
to cultural backgrounds and beliefs. A number of Zimbabweans have lack of knowledge on who
they are as they don't have adequate information on the history of their families due to issues
such as conflict among guardians, divorces and some just lack interest on issues to do with
heritage. As result the problem of having lack of self identification can be addressed through
using the theory cultural relativism.
Moving on, applied anthropology is important when mitigating the contemporary problems of
Zimbabwe. When working within the political system of Zimbabwe which has a history of
political instability that has led to violence, oppression, and human rights violations. Applied
anthropology has been important in mitigating this problem through its focus on understanding
the root causes of political instability and developing strategies to address them. One example of
this is the work of anthropologist Brian Raftopoulos, who has studied Zimbabwe's political
history and its impact on social divisions and democratic participation. Raftopoulos has argued
that the country's political instability is rooted in its history of colonialism, which created a
system of racial and economic inequality that persists today. He has also highlighted the role of
political leaders in manipulating ethnic and regional divisions to maintain their power.
Raftopoulos has suggested that addressing these root causes requires a focus on democratic
participation, social justice, and critical engagement with political systems. Therefore through
academic research, applied anthropology has also been used to promote political change through
community organizing, advocacy, and policy development. For example, Sithole (2018) the
Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum is a coalition of civil society organizations that use
anthropological research and advocacy to promote human rights and democracy in Zimbabwe.
The Forum has used its research to document human rights violations, promote legal and policy
reforms, and support grassroots organizing. Similarly, the Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe is a
network of feminist organizations that use anthropological research to advocate for women's
rights and gender equality. The Coalition has used its research to develop policies and programs
aimed at promoting women's participation in politics, reducing gender-based violence, and
increasing access to healthcare and education.

Gender inequality is a pervasive problem in Zimbabwe, as women have limited access to

education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. Shizha (2014) Applied anthropology can help
to address gender inequality by designing interventions that take into account the specific needs
of women and girls. For example, the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA) has
used applied anthropology to address gender-based violence and advocate for women's rights.
ZWLA works with community members to understand the root causes of gender-based violence
and develop interventions that are effective and culturally. Hence this clarifies how important
applied anthropology is in mitigating the problem of gender inequality in Zimbabwe as it
addresses how the women in Zimbabwe face inequality and provided certain useful tools and
mechanisms to deal with gender inequality.

Education is another area where applied anthropology can have a significant impact in
Zimbabwe. According to the World Bank (2020) Zimbabwe has one of the highest literacy rates
in sub-Saharan Africa, but the quality of education is poor. Applied anthropology can help to
improve the quality of education in Zimbabwe by designing culturally appropriate education
programs that take into account local customs and traditions. For example, the Zimbabwean
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has partnered with international organizations to
improve the quality of education in rural areas. Applied anthropologists have been involved in
designing and implementing these programs, which focus on improving the quality of teaching,
providing educational resources, and addressing social and cultural barriers to education.

Moving on applied anthropology is important when seeking to mitigate Zimbabwe’s

contemporary problems because it can be used to in understanding the roles of indigenous
people. Applied anthropology can also be useful in understanding the roles of indigenous people.
Indigenous people are often the most marginalized in society, and understanding their culture
and social structure is key to effectively addressing their needs. In Zimbabwe, for example,
research has suggested that indigenous people are disproportionately affected by poverty and that
their culture and social structures are often overlooked by government policies Nhemachena
(2018). Applied anthropology can be used to identify ways of ensuring indigenous people are
included in decision-making and that their needs are taken into account.

Conclusively, the above essay has highlighted how the discipline of applied anthropology is an
invaluable tool when attempting to understand and address problems faced by any society. It is
especially relevant in Zimbabwe, a historically complex nation with a turbulent past. Since
gaining independence in 1980, Zimbabwe has faced a range of issues, from political and social
instability to conflict and economic hardship. As the essay depicted the importance of applied
anthropology in helping to mitigate these problems in the country. It considered the role that an
anthropological perspective can play in understanding the causes of Zimbabwean problems and
how this knowledge can be used to develop practical solutions. Additionally, the essay discussed
the importance of cultural sensitivity when addressing the issue and the need for collaboration
with local actors to ensure that solutions are effective and viable. Throughout, relevant examples
and references have been provided to support the discussion.

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