Phimister, I. R.Law, K. V.Mhike, Ivo2016-11-232016-11-232016-02http://hdl.handle.net/11660/4778English: This thesis is the first comprehensive study of juvenile delinquency in colonial Zimbabwe. Based on a detailed reading of archival sources generated by central government in various departments, urban municipalities, and autobiographies, it reconstructs important dimensions in the labelling and treatment of juvenile delinquency between 1890 and 1960. In doing so, it explores the socio-political development of Southern Rhodesian society and demonstrates the diversity and shifting notions of what constituted deviance and delinquency during this period. Taking issue with the existing historiography which narrowly focuses on black juvenile delinquency this thesis challenges the notion that racial distinctions overshadowed all else in the construction of juvenile delinquency, arguing that delinquency transcended race and was equally influenced by the analytical categories of class, gender and ethnicity. Through analysing the state’s ideas regarding juvenile institutions and rehabilitation, it plots the contours of the shifting notions of what constituted social and colonial order. While some Southern African historiography discusses aspects of white juvenile delinquency and racial heterogeneity, this study demonstrates how delinquency is a prism that refracts on the deep divisions within white society. It suggests a different view of empire relations by exploring the fissures within groups and the limits of racial co-operation. In addition, this thesis takes important steps toward historicising the development of childhood in colonial Zimbabwe; in doing so, it significantly modifies a number of historiographies, and opens up space for creating a more comprehensive history of childhood and youth in Africa.Afrikaans: Hierdie tesis is die eerste omvattende studie van jeugmisdaad in koloniale Zimbabwe. Deur middel van ’n noukeurige ontleding van argivale dokumente, wat nagelaat is deur verskeie sentrale regeringsdepartemente, stedelike munisipaliteite en outobiografieë, word belangrike dimensies in die klassifisering en behandeling van jeugmisdadigheid in die tydperk 1890 tot 1960 gerekonstrueer. Daardeur word die sosio-politiese ontwikkeling van die Suid-Rhodesiese samelewing verken, wat wys op die uiteenlopende en verskuiwende begrippe oor wat in hierdie tydperk as afwykend of misdadig beskou is. Hierdie tesis verskil van die bestaande historiografie wat nougeset fokus op swart jeugmisdadigheid en bied daardeur ’n uitdaging aan die opvatting dat rasseverskille die vertolking van jeugmisdadigheid oorskadu. In teendeel, hierdie tesis voer aan dat misdadigheid rassegrense oorskry en dat dit eweneens beïnvloed is deur analitiese kategorieë soos klas, geslag en etnisiteit. Deur die staat se idees oor rehabilitasie en jeuginrigtings te ontleed, word die kontoere van die ewig verskuiwende begrippe oor wat die sosiale en koloniale orde sou behels, verken. Suider-Afrikaanse historiografie bespreek aspekte van wit jeugmisdadigheid en rasseverskeidenheid, maar hierdie studie wys hoe misdadigheid as ’n prisma kan dien waardeur daar nuwe lig op die klowe binne die wit samelewing gewerp kan word. Deur die skeure binne groepe en die perke van rassesamewerking te verken, tree daar ’n nuwe beeld na vore wat betref verhoudings binne die Britse ryk. Daarmee saam doen hierdie tesis belangrikke stappe om die ontwikkeling van kinders en jeugdigheid in koloniale Zimbabwe te historiseer. Dit omvorm ’n aantal historiografieë en skep ’n ruimte vir ’n meer omvattende geskiedenis van kinders en die jeug in Afrika.enJuvenile delinquencyColonialismChildhoodHistoriographyColonial orderGenderClassEthnicityThesis (Ph.D. (Centre for Africa Studies))--University of the Free State, 2016ThesisUniversity of the Free State