7 - The Social Act of Exchange in Power Relations: The study of the Phenomenon of Nichekeleko at the Weighbridges in Zambia.
Corresponding Author(s) : Chidongo Phiri
African Sociological Review,
Vol. 21 No. 2 (2017): African Sociological Review
Abstract
This article examines the widely practiced phenomenon of Nichekeleko at the Weighbridges
(WBs) in Zambia. The commonly held understanding of Nichekeleko by the Zambian people is that, it
is corruption; ranging from bribery, theft, embezzlement, gratification to favouritism.
Sociologically, the phenomenon was conceived as a social act of exchange within the context of
power relations by the actors who engage in it. Foucault’s notion of power relations and Bourdieu’s
concepts of “practice” and “fields’’ provided the theoretical framework for the study. Power was
considered as a system, and a network of relations, encompassing the whole society than a relation
between the oppressed and the oppressor. Methodologically, this study was based on mixed method
research; the large part of it involving participant- observation, interviews and administering of
questionnaires
The argument in this paper is that failure to analyse corruption from a linguistic and
philosophical perspective implied in ‘Nichekeleko’ reduces the practice to mere violation of the
law or moral rules. A much closer look at corruption from a language vantage point p us with
essential dimensions of the practice, why, and how it has persisted in Zambia
Keywords
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- Aafke, L.M and Vollebergh, B (1997) Curbing Corruption Financial Development and Income Inequality. Progress in Development: V5 (1): pp 49-52.
- Blundo, G & J.P Olivier De Sardan with Arifaris & Alou, .M.T (2006). Everyday Corruption and the State: Citizens and Public Officials in Africa. Cape Town. Zed books
- Bohannan, P. (1997). Ethnography and comparison in legal anthropology. In Law in culture and society, edited by L. Nader, 401-18. Berkeley: University of California Press
- Broodryk, R. (2011) Ubuntuism as a World View to Social Order PhD Thesis. Pretoria. University of South Africa Certeau M.de (1984). The Practice of Everyday Life. Berkeley: University of. California Press
- Chibnall, S. & Saunders, P. (1977). Worlds apart: Notes on the social reality of corruption.
- British Journal of Sociology 28(2): 138–154.
- Chipungu, Samuel (1989) The guardians in their Time: Experiences of Zambians under Colonial Rule, 1890-1964. London. McMillan Press
- De Certeau Michel. (1988). The Practices of Everyday life. University of California. ress. London.
- De Sardan, J.P.O (1999) Amoral Economy of Corruption in Africa. Journal of Modern Africa Studies. V37 (1): pp 201-280.
- Diamond, L (1999) ‘’The Rule of Law versus the Big Man’’: Journal of Democracy. 19(2):pp138-149.
- Ferguson, James (1999). Expectations of Modernity: Myths and Meanings of Urban Life on the Zambia Copper belt. University of California press. London.
- Foucault, Michel (1977) Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. A. Sheridan, trans. New York: Pantheon.
- Fundanga, Caleb and Mwaba, Andrew (2003) Economic paper on privatization of public enterprises in Zambia. An Evaluation of policies and procedures. African New York Development Bank.
- Giddens, A. (1990). Consequences of Modernity, Cambridge: Polity Press
- Giddens, Anthony (1979a) Central Problems in Social Theory: Action, Structure, and Contradiction in Social Analysis. Berkeley: University of California Press.
- Gluckman, Max. (1962). Essays on the ritual of social relations. Manchester University Press.
- Gluckman, Max. (1963). “Gossip and scandal.” Current anthropology, 4, 307-316. Gluckman, Max.
- 1994. The judicial process among the Barotse of Northern Rhodesia. Berg Publishing Ltd.
- Gluckman, Max. [1965] 2006. Politics, law and ritual in tribal society. Aldine Transaction.
- Gupta.A and Fergason B (1997).Anthropological locations, Boundaries and grounds of a field Sciences.Berkley. Oxford University press. Los Angeles
- Habermas, J (1987) The theory of Communicative Action Rationality 2.Life World and system: Critique of functionalist reason. Boston. Beacon Press.
- Hamersley, M. & Atkinson, P. (1995).Ethnography: Principles in practice 2ndedition.
- London: Rutledge Heidenheimer, A. (I989). ‘Perspectives on the perception of corruption’, in A. Heidenheimer, M. Johnston & V. Le Vine, eds. Political Corruption: a Handbook. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers.
- Heidenheimer, A.(I989). ‘Perspectives on the perception of corruption’, in A. Heidenheimer,M. Johnston & V. Le Vine, eds. Political Corruption: a Handbook. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers.
- Heidenheimer, Arnold J., & Johnston, Michael (2002). Political Corruption: Concepts and Contexts (3rd ed.). Piscataway, NJ: Transaction Publishers.
- Hwang T.B (1987) Resource Exchange. Desmond. V4 (1) pp12-16.
- Hwang, B (1987), “Effects of Gift-Giving Involvement on Gift-Giving Strategies,” in advances in Consumer Research, Volume 9, ed. Andrew Mitchell, Ann Arbor, MI: Association for Consumer Research, 531-536.
- Hwang, K: (1987), ‘Face and Favour: The Chinese Power Game’, American Journal of ogy 92(4), 944-974.
References
Aafke, L.M and Vollebergh, B (1997) Curbing Corruption Financial Development and Income Inequality. Progress in Development: V5 (1): pp 49-52.
Blundo, G & J.P Olivier De Sardan with Arifaris & Alou, .M.T (2006). Everyday Corruption and the State: Citizens and Public Officials in Africa. Cape Town. Zed books
Bohannan, P. (1997). Ethnography and comparison in legal anthropology. In Law in culture and society, edited by L. Nader, 401-18. Berkeley: University of California Press
Broodryk, R. (2011) Ubuntuism as a World View to Social Order PhD Thesis. Pretoria. University of South Africa Certeau M.de (1984). The Practice of Everyday Life. Berkeley: University of. California Press
Chibnall, S. & Saunders, P. (1977). Worlds apart: Notes on the social reality of corruption.
British Journal of Sociology 28(2): 138–154.
Chipungu, Samuel (1989) The guardians in their Time: Experiences of Zambians under Colonial Rule, 1890-1964. London. McMillan Press
De Certeau Michel. (1988). The Practices of Everyday life. University of California. ress. London.
De Sardan, J.P.O (1999) Amoral Economy of Corruption in Africa. Journal of Modern Africa Studies. V37 (1): pp 201-280.
Diamond, L (1999) ‘’The Rule of Law versus the Big Man’’: Journal of Democracy. 19(2):pp138-149.
Ferguson, James (1999). Expectations of Modernity: Myths and Meanings of Urban Life on the Zambia Copper belt. University of California press. London.
Foucault, Michel (1977) Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. A. Sheridan, trans. New York: Pantheon.
Fundanga, Caleb and Mwaba, Andrew (2003) Economic paper on privatization of public enterprises in Zambia. An Evaluation of policies and procedures. African New York Development Bank.
Giddens, A. (1990). Consequences of Modernity, Cambridge: Polity Press
Giddens, Anthony (1979a) Central Problems in Social Theory: Action, Structure, and Contradiction in Social Analysis. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Gluckman, Max. (1962). Essays on the ritual of social relations. Manchester University Press.
Gluckman, Max. (1963). “Gossip and scandal.” Current anthropology, 4, 307-316. Gluckman, Max.
1994. The judicial process among the Barotse of Northern Rhodesia. Berg Publishing Ltd.
Gluckman, Max. [1965] 2006. Politics, law and ritual in tribal society. Aldine Transaction.
Gupta.A and Fergason B (1997).Anthropological locations, Boundaries and grounds of a field Sciences.Berkley. Oxford University press. Los Angeles
Habermas, J (1987) The theory of Communicative Action Rationality 2.Life World and system: Critique of functionalist reason. Boston. Beacon Press.
Hamersley, M. & Atkinson, P. (1995).Ethnography: Principles in practice 2ndedition.
London: Rutledge Heidenheimer, A. (I989). ‘Perspectives on the perception of corruption’, in A. Heidenheimer, M. Johnston & V. Le Vine, eds. Political Corruption: a Handbook. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers.
Heidenheimer, A.(I989). ‘Perspectives on the perception of corruption’, in A. Heidenheimer,M. Johnston & V. Le Vine, eds. Political Corruption: a Handbook. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers.
Heidenheimer, Arnold J., & Johnston, Michael (2002). Political Corruption: Concepts and Contexts (3rd ed.). Piscataway, NJ: Transaction Publishers.
Hwang T.B (1987) Resource Exchange. Desmond. V4 (1) pp12-16.
Hwang, B (1987), “Effects of Gift-Giving Involvement on Gift-Giving Strategies,” in advances in Consumer Research, Volume 9, ed. Andrew Mitchell, Ann Arbor, MI: Association for Consumer Research, 531-536.
Hwang, K: (1987), ‘Face and Favour: The Chinese Power Game’, American Journal of ogy 92(4), 944-974.