Scholarly Work &
Research Interests
Interdisciplinary research at the intersection of African cultural economies, civic university theory, and participatory research — grounded in community practice and oriented toward inclusive development.
African Cultural Economies & Music
Examining how creative practice, music, and digital industries generate economic value and social meaning across Southern Africa. Current work focuses on Zimbabwean immigrants' music-informed placemaking in Johannesburg, ZimDancehall micro-publics, and social media entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe's independent music economy.
Key Citations
Mediated music and well-being for Zimbabwean immigrants in South Africa. Muziki.
Platformed cultural hustlers: Social media and entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe's independent music economy. African Music, 13(1).
Reviving Zimbabwean traditional dance through popular youth culture. Southern African Journal of Folklore Studies.
Zimbabweans in Johannesburg: Musicking, placemaking, and everyday citizenship. Social Dynamics.
Civic University & Community Engagement
Research on how community–university partnerships generate socially embedded knowledge that drives inclusive wellbeing and local development. Grounded in community-based participatory research (CBPR) and critical service learning (CSL), developing frameworks for authentic partnership that honour shared agency.
Key Citations
Partnership dynamics in university–community engagement: A South African case study. International Journal of African Higher Education, 8(1).
Sewing friendship: Increasing inclusivity through shared social spaces. Critical Studies in Teaching and Learning.
Monitoring and evaluation of arts for social change. Journal of Asian and African Studies.
Moving from transactional partnerships to collaborative community engagement. South African Review of Sociology.
Entrepreneurship Ecosystems & Digital Skills
Research on entrepreneurial ecosystems, digital economy workforce transitions, and skills development in South Africa. Current PI on the FPM SETA-supported SkillUp Digital Project, examining workforce transition dynamics in South Africa's digital and green economy.
Key Citations
Mapping the global skills gap: An analysis of regional and sectoral challenges in a transforming global economy. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science.
Advancing the exploration of engaged creative-placemaking amongst universities and communities for social cohesion. Journal of Asian and African Studies.
Community Health & One Health
Transdisciplinary research applying the One Health framework to public health and environmental challenges. Work includes digital mental health interventions for youth, community disease control, and stakeholder engagement in health crises across rural KwaZulu-Natal and Zimbabwe.
Key Citations
Adaptive governance and community agency in crisis: Stakeholder engagement in Seke District, Zimbabwe. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care.
Digital mental health interventions for young people in rural South Africa. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Engaging youth in stakeholder analysis for community-based digital innovations for mental health. Health & Social Care in the Community.
Consulting the community on strategies to strengthen social capital for community disease control. International Quarterly of Community Health Education.
Conflict Transformation & Peace Studies
Arts-based methodologies for conflict transformation, peace-building, and reconciliation. PhD research examined conflict transformation through music and dance in Mkoba, Gweru, Zimbabwe, with ongoing interest in endogenous arts-based peacebuilding in repressed environments.
Key Citations
Music and conflict transformation in Zimbabwe. Peace Review, 31(3).
Voices of dissent: Case study of the Rebel Woman, University of Zimbabwe. In Chinouriri & Kufakurinani (Eds.), Victors, Victims and Villains. University of Zimbabwe Publications.
Performing subversion: The use of Chinyambera traditional dance as a coping mechanism in Zimbabwe. In Gimenez & Vambe (Eds.), Performing Zimbabwe. UKZN Press.
h-index 7 · 198 citations
Google Scholar · June 2026
Journal Articles
17 articlesMapping the global skills gap: An analysis of regional and sectoral challenges in a transforming global economy.
Mutero, I.T. & Marwa, N.W.
Adaptive governance and community agency in crisis: A qualitative study of stakeholder engagement in Seke District, Zimbabwe.
Chikanya, E., Mutero, I.T. & Chimbari, M.J.
Mediated music and well-being for Zimbabwean immigrants in South Africa.
Mutero, I.T.
Reviving Zimbabwean traditional dance through popular youth culture.
Mutero, I.T.
Platformed cultural hustlers: Social media and entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe's independent music economy.
Mutero, I.T.
Harare muJoni: musicking, placemaking and everyday citizenship of Zimbabwean immigrants in Johannesburg, South Africa
Mutero, I.T.
Digital mental health interventions for young people in rural South Africa: Prospects and challenges for implementation.
Mindu, T., Mutero, I.T., Ngcobo, W., Musesengwa, R. & Chimbari, M.J.
Engaging youth in stakeholder analysis for developing community-based digital innovations for mental health of young people in Ingwavuma Community, KwaZulu-Natal.
Mutero, I.T., Mindu, T., Cele, W.B., Manyangadze, T. & Chimbari, M.J.
'If I were to suffer a stroke right now, the first place that I should be taken to is the traditional healer': Community beliefs and health-seeking practices for noncommunicable diseases in rural KwaZulu-Natal.
Chikafu, H., Mutero, I.T. & Chimbari, M.J.
Consulting the community on strategies to strengthen social capital for community disease control.
Mutero, I.T. & Chimbari, M.J.
Partnership dynamics in university–community engagement: A South African case study of a multi-disciplinary research team.
Mutero, I.T. & Chimbari, M.J.
Sewing friendship: Increasing inclusivity through shared social spaces for migrant and local populations in Durban.
Mutero, I.T., Mchunu, K. & Govender, I.G.
Monitoring and evaluation of arts for social change: The case of engaged creative placemaking on university campuses.
Mutero, I.T. & Govender, I.G.
Moving from transactional partnerships to collaborative community engagement: A case study evaluating creative placemaking in KwaZulu-Natal.
Mutero, I.T. & Govender, I.G.
Advancing the exploration of engaged creative-placemaking amongst universities and communities for social cohesion in South Africa.
Mutero, I.T. & Govender, I.G.
Music and conflict transformation in Zimbabwe.
Mutero, I.T. & Kaye, S.
Unmet needs to treat schistosomiasis in children under five years old in uMkhanyakude District, KwaZulu-Natal.
Mhlengi, V., Mutero, I.T. & Chimbari, M.J.
Book Chapters
2 chaptersVoices of dissent: Case study of the Rebel Woman, University of Zimbabwe.
Mutero, I.T.
Performing subversion: The use of Chinyambera traditional dance as a coping mechanism in Zimbabwe.
Mutero, I.T.
- ZimDancehall micro-publics— Under revision — Journal of the Musical Arts in Africa
- Zimbabwean popular music and digital platform discourse— Under revision (single-author)
- Technology-enhanced learning in South African TVET colleges (Pro-Telde Project)— Co-authored — in preparation