This study of the town of Beitbridge on the Zimbabwe/South African border shows how neoliberalism, prevaricated by HIV/AIDS, has brought about far-reaching social change in the country, and unprecedented levels of poverty and social precariousness. It argues that these circumstances have led to insecurities in identity and 'insider-outsider' sociological configurations, and to identity politics assuming a role in the desperate and unprecedented struggles over access to resources.

This is the first title in a new series Interventions, a strategic initiative by CODESRIA, aimed at promoting the research output of the younger generation of academics and scholars in Africa, and encouraging the exchange of ideas and experiences between young researchers about African issues. The series intends to create an opportunity for a younger generation of Africans, which is of key demographic importance, to become more engaged in public and/or academic debates about the future of their continent.