Titles Without Merit: Interrogating the Fake Doctorate Phenomena

This book looks at the controversial issues surrounding the desire for titles (both earned and unearned) in Zimbabwe and beyond. The desire for titles is often associated with the quest for status, power, class, and recognition. Unfortunately, the result of this desire and greed for titles means you can no longer tell genuine PhDs from fake ones. The unscrupulous quest for fake degrees is regarded in this book as ＂Titlemania or Taitolomania＂. The scramble for titles has not spared community leaders across the divide. Of concern is the failure by High Degrees students to use their earned titles to solve societal problems through national technological development. The book provokes debate on whether or not Africa in general, and Zimbabwe in particular, need more doctorates, considering that most PhD holders are not contributing to national development, production of goods and services, and the improvement of societal conditions.

Francis Machingura is professor and currently the Director for the Centre for Postgraduate Studies, University of Zimbabwe.

Munyaradzi Mawere is full professor of African studies at Great Zimbabwe University and professor Extraordinarius of interdisciplinary research at the University of South Africa.