Masimba Hwati Publishes "Chidzimbahwe: Philosophies of Sound"

On May 10, 2026, Masimba Hwati (MFA ​’19) released Chidzimbahwe: Philosophies of Sound, a new book that explores the philosophy and place of sound as it is experienced from the cultural and political position(s) of the Vedzimbahwe — the diverse peoples of Zimbabwe. It pioneers an interdisciplinary approach to sound and listening, tracing the itineraries of Indigenous epistemologies of sound and examining how they shape, and are shaped by, everyday social, cultural, economic, and political processes. 

The often-cited claim that there is a dearth of sound studies theory emerging from the Global South, particularly from Africa, should not be mistaken for the absence of critical sonic knowledge on the continent. Rather, this perceived lack is frequently the result of the overbearing application of Western rubrics of knowledge to Indigenous knowledge systems. African and Indigenous cultures are rich in sonic philosophies, many of which challenge Western-based theories and are best approached on their own terms.

The book, published by Palgrave Macmillan, Springer Nature (Cham, Switzerland), engages a wide range of themes, including the ethics of listening, sound and postcolonial struggle, political and economic relations between Africa and the West, as well as emerging relationships between Africa and the East.