In this accomplished work, Parcells explores apartheid-era homelands and Zulu ethnicity in the late twentieth-century as contested constructs, not only imposed by people from on high, but argued over and shaped by many competing interests. In addition, A New Zulu Kingdom adds depth to recent studies of decolonization not only integrating apartheid into global experiments involving federation but also by exploring the possibilities of African archives in the late twentieth century. This is an excellent read.

Lauren V. Jarvis, Associate Professor of History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA

Drawing on underutilized archives of the bantustan itself, this political and social history of KwaZulu shines light on the agency of historical subjects too often obscured when attention is focused only on Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi and the Zulu kings. Parcells reveals the official processes of defining bantustan “citizenship” and the lived experiences of this legal system of ethnic classification. A must-read for those writing on bantustans and apartheid bureaucracy.

Jill E. Kelly, Associate Professor of History, Southern Methodist University, USA

Grounded in extensive archival research and oral history, Ashley Parcells' work shows how the apartheid government and African elites jointly engineered a Zulu bantustan that extended well beyond the boundaries of the precolonial Zulu kingdom. She successfully clarifies the political and legal negotiations behind this power play as well as the varied responses from below to the accompanying efforts to entrench Zulu citizenship and identity. By highlighting both the successes and failures of this initiative, Parcells underscores that African ethnicities are not static but continually renegotiated in light of changing political circumstances.

Jochen S. Arndt, Associate Professor of African History, Virginia Military Institute, USA