Masculinities at a Dumpsite

Life circumstances including a combination of social, economic, and environmental factors can push people to live and work on the margins of society. This chapter utilizes fieldwork and analysis of a dumpsite at Victoria Ranch suburb, City of Masvingo to cast a spotlight on the obscure lives of waste reclaimers. It argues that being a man who lives on the fringes of society at a dumpsite meant many things and shaped their identities in unique ways. How gender dynamics intertwine with the materialities of marginalization, health hazards, resource scarcity, and other harsh conditions is foundational in this chapter. The intersectional approach is used within the structuration perspective to illuminate how life at a dumpsite allows men to express masculinity alert to the power of their agency. This adds to the distinct body of scholarship around gender and marginal masculinity and the urgent need to decolonize and retheorize gender in Africa. The chapter suggests a number of actionable policy interventions that ensure dignity and social justice of the men who live at dumpsites is fully respected and their humanity is recognized.