Author Description

Since 2008, Prominent Members Of The Lhomwe Ethnic Group - A Large But Politically Marginalized Community In Malawi - Have Waged An Aggressive Campaign To Revive Their Lost Cultural Heritage, Including Their Language, Names, Foods, And Dances. Existing Research Has Linked Such Processes Of Inventing Tradition To The Strategic Actions Of Political Elites Who Benefit From Mobilizing Members Of Marginalized Ethnic Communities For Political Ends. Yet, Because Existing Research Has Focused Primarily On Elite Incentives, We Know Less About How Such Elite-led Efforts Translate Into Lasting Cultural Change And Active Political Support Among Regular People. The Political Logic Of Cultural Revival, Through An In-depth Study Of The Lhomwe Revival, Argues That Political Elites Invest In Such Revivals When Doing So Will Bear Political Returns Via Increased Ethnic Visibility. Ethnopolitical Leaders Benefit From Having The Identity Of Their Group Members Easily Visible To Others, Because Such Visibility Ties Those Individuals' Fate To That Of The Larger Group