Fergus Richardson Soar is a PhD candidate in International History at the LSE working under the joint supervision of Dr Joanna Lewis and Dr Tim Gibbs (UCL). His dissertation examines the burgeoning countercultural movements that emerged during and after decolonisation in southern Africa. The main focus of the project is the “Zamrock” movement which flourished in Zambia and its transnational impacts, counterparts and legacies. He will be reconstructing the history of this musical genre through the musicians themselves, their musical output, material culture and performance. This will require close attention to the wider politics, culture and society of the time.

Fergus holds an MSc in the History of International Relations from the LSE. His dissertation examined the significance of Zimbabwean musicians in urban spaces during the Second Chimurenga. He managed to track down and interview in depth musicians from the 1970s. He also holds a BA in History from the University of Nottingham (First-Class Honours).

Provisional thesis title

“This is Zambia, a land of W.I.T.C.H”: The Zamrock movement, identity, social change and transnational countercultures in independent Zambia in the long seventies.