Bizeck Jube Phiri (PhD) is Professor of History in the Department of Historical and Archaeological Studies in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Zambia. He is an expert in political history and defence and security. He was founding Chief Editor of the Journal of Humanities at the University of Zambia and is on the Advisory Board of the Journal of Southern African Studies (JSAS), and he is a Member of the Editorial Board of the Mulungushi University Multi-disciplinary Development Journal, and Member of the Editorial Board of New Contree Journal in South Africa. He is former Dean of Student Affairs and former Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Zambia (UNZA). He was Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Zambia for six months (September 2015 to February 2016). He has previously served as Assistant Dean (I) in the School of Education and Assistant Dean (Undergraduate) in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences as well as Head of the Department of History. He also served as a member of Senate on several occasions and is still a Senator. Most importantly Professor Phiri has taught at the University of Zambia for thirty-nine years and is therefore well acquainted with the developments that have taken place at UNZA. He first came to UNZA in 1976 as a student when the university was only ten years old. He has therefore been with UNZA for fifty years, both as a student and lecturer. He has researched and published widely on issues relating to political history of Zambia as well as defence and security in Zambia. He was the Project Director for Southern African Defence and Security Management (SADSEM) Network in Zambia.
Prof Phiri served as member of the Higher Education Authority Team of Experts charged with the responsibility of reviewing and recommending accreditation of university History Degree programmes. He also a served member of ZCAS University Council, and he is serving on Palabana University Council, Justo Mwale University Council and Harvest University Council and also serves as an Invited Professor of the University of Zambia Council’s Human Resources Committee.
Academic Qualifications
1991: Ph.D. in History, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
1983: Master of Arts in History, University of Zambia, Lusaka.
1980: Bachelor of Arts with Education, University of Zambia, Lusaka.
Books
Phiri, B. J. A Political History of Zambia: From Colonial Rule to the Third Republic, 1890–1991, (Revised, 2026).
Phiri, B. J. A History of Indians in Eastern Province of Zambia. Lusaka: 2000.
Phiri, B.J. The Crisis of An African University: A Historical Appraisal of the University of Zambia, 1965-2000. Denver, Colorado: International Academic Publishers, 2001.
Phiri, B. J. Democratisation in Zambia: The 2001 Tripartite Elections. Pretoria: Africa Institute of South Africa, 2002.
Phiri, B. J. Researching and Writing History: A Student Guide to Historical Research and Methodology. Lusaka, Revised 2013.
Journal Articles
Phiri, B. J. "The African Participation and Experiences in the First and Second World Wars in Northern Rhodesia: A Historical Perspective 1914–1948", Journal of Asian and African Studies, 57, 1 (2022), 47–59.
Phiri, B. J. "From One-Party Democracy to Multiparty Liberal Democracy in Zambia Since 1990: Reality or Illusion?" Southern Journal for Contemporary History, 46, 2 (2021), 113–136.
Gordon, D. M., Phiri, B. J., Macola, G., & Ferguson, J. "Debating 'The Rediscovery of Liberalism' in Zambia: Responses to Harri Englund", Africa 84, 4 (2014), 658–667.
Phiri, B. J. "Colonial Legacy and the Role of Society in the Creation and Demise of Autocracy in Zambia, 1964–1991", Nordic Journal of African Studies, 10, 2 (2001), 224–244.
- Political histories of Zambia and the rest of the world
- Civil millitary relations in Southern Africa
Projects