Climate, conflict and society: changing responses to weather extremes in nineteenth century Zululand
Changing climates affect human societies differently depending on societal structures, cultural perceptions and their relative vulnerability and resilience. In this study, we explore the complex relationship between climate, conflict and society in nineteenth century Zululand. The paper first review...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Published: |
White Horse Press
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35448/ |
| _version_ | 1848795080056373248 |
|---|---|
| author | Klein, Jorgen Nash, David J. Pribyl, Kathleen Endfield, Georgina |
| author_facet | Klein, Jorgen Nash, David J. Pribyl, Kathleen Endfield, Georgina |
| author_sort | Klein, Jorgen |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Changing climates affect human societies differently depending on societal structures, cultural perceptions and their relative vulnerability and resilience. In this study, we explore the complex relationship between climate, conflict and society in nineteenth century Zululand. The paper first reviews current debates surrounding the links between climatic change, societal transformation and the rise of the Zulu Kingdom from the late-eighteenth to early-nineteenth centuries. It then considers new empirical evidence relating to conflict and socio-economic changes at a local scale in Zululand from the early-mid-nineteenth century onwards, using a combination of unpublished archival materials written by missionaries and other observers, together with oral histories and traditions. Our analysis highlights how changing precipitation patterns, especially towards drier conditions, may have contributed to changes in societal responses, including dominant narratives about rain-control, the migration and dissolution of society, and conflicts and unrest. We suggest that temporal differences in these responses were contingent upon the role of leaders, power structures, and the willingness and ability of leaders to yield this power. The case of nineteenth century Zululand exemplifies the complexity of environment-society interactions, and strengthens the call for a thorough scrutiny of the narratives of social unrest in specific socio-cultural contexts. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:26:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-35448 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:26:24Z |
| publisher | White Horse Press |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-354482020-05-04T20:34:40Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35448/ Climate, conflict and society: changing responses to weather extremes in nineteenth century Zululand Klein, Jorgen Nash, David J. Pribyl, Kathleen Endfield, Georgina Changing climates affect human societies differently depending on societal structures, cultural perceptions and their relative vulnerability and resilience. In this study, we explore the complex relationship between climate, conflict and society in nineteenth century Zululand. The paper first reviews current debates surrounding the links between climatic change, societal transformation and the rise of the Zulu Kingdom from the late-eighteenth to early-nineteenth centuries. It then considers new empirical evidence relating to conflict and socio-economic changes at a local scale in Zululand from the early-mid-nineteenth century onwards, using a combination of unpublished archival materials written by missionaries and other observers, together with oral histories and traditions. Our analysis highlights how changing precipitation patterns, especially towards drier conditions, may have contributed to changes in societal responses, including dominant narratives about rain-control, the migration and dissolution of society, and conflicts and unrest. We suggest that temporal differences in these responses were contingent upon the role of leaders, power structures, and the willingness and ability of leaders to yield this power. The case of nineteenth century Zululand exemplifies the complexity of environment-society interactions, and strengthens the call for a thorough scrutiny of the narratives of social unrest in specific socio-cultural contexts. White Horse Press Article PeerReviewed Klein, Jorgen, Nash, David J., Pribyl, Kathleen and Endfield, Georgina Climate, conflict and society: changing responses to weather extremes in nineteenth century Zululand. Environment and History . ISSN 1752-7023 (In Press) Conflict; rainfall variability; Zululand; nineteenth century; missionary sources |
| spellingShingle | Conflict; rainfall variability; Zululand; nineteenth century; missionary sources Klein, Jorgen Nash, David J. Pribyl, Kathleen Endfield, Georgina Climate, conflict and society: changing responses to weather extremes in nineteenth century Zululand |
| title | Climate, conflict and society: changing responses to weather extremes in nineteenth century Zululand |
| title_full | Climate, conflict and society: changing responses to weather extremes in nineteenth century Zululand |
| title_fullStr | Climate, conflict and society: changing responses to weather extremes in nineteenth century Zululand |
| title_full_unstemmed | Climate, conflict and society: changing responses to weather extremes in nineteenth century Zululand |
| title_short | Climate, conflict and society: changing responses to weather extremes in nineteenth century Zululand |
| title_sort | climate, conflict and society: changing responses to weather extremes in nineteenth century zululand |
| topic | Conflict; rainfall variability; Zululand; nineteenth century; missionary sources |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35448/ |