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From Rebellion to Opposition: UNITA’s Social Engagement in Post-War Angola

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2018

Justin Pearce
Justin Pearce*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Human Social and Political Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
*
*Corresponding author: Email: justin.pearce@gmail.com
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Abstract

The endurance and indeed the growing electoral support manifested by the Angolan opposition party UNITA since its defeat as an armed movement in 2002 defies generally gloomy prognoses both for opposition parties in dominant party systems and for defeated rebel movements that recast themselves as political parties. This article examines social service and training projects implemented by UNITA in the Angolan Central Highlands. I argue that the case of UNITA illustrates the need to take into account the importance of resources that accrue outside of the space of formal politics, including historical narratives and social relationships, which UNITA has mobilized and built upon in order to expand its vote share and consolidate its place within electoral politics.

Keywords

rebel movementsAngolaUNITAsocial engagementrebel-to-party transitionsSouthern Africa
Type
Articles
Information
Government and Opposition , Volume 55 , Issue 3 , July 2020 , pp. 474 - 489
Copyright
Copyright © The Author 2018. Published by Government and Opposition Limited and Cambridge University Press

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