Ufahamu Africa: Recent Episodes

Pranjit Patar

Ufahamu Africa is a podcast hosted by Kim Yi Dionne and Rachel Beatty Riedl, professors of African politics at UC Riverside and Cornell University, respectively. Each episode features an in-depth conversation with a thinker, maker, or innovator. New episodes are released every Saturday.

This week we feature an episode by our nonresident fellows Fu Asiedu and Ami Tamakloe. They discuss the anti-LGBT bill in Ghana, providing some background on the bill and the politics surrounding it. They also convene a roundtable conversation of Ghanaians discussing the realities of everyday life under this bill.

This is a really important episode and we’re grateful to Fu and Ami for giving a fuller sense than what our listeners might glean from international media headlines. As some of you might know, the anti-LGBT bill passed in February but since May, it has been under review in the courts. We’ll continue to follow the courts’ rulings and will keep our listeners up to date.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Dr. Tedd Moya Mose is a legal professional whose interdisciplinary interests extend from international energy law and policy to the just transition to sustainable energy systems. In this conversation with our fellow Basil Ibrahim, they discuss Dr. Moya's participation at the Africa Climate Summit and the COP28 meetings last year and the dilemmas of developmental aspirations that remain tethered to carbon intensive pathways.

Moya's work at the intersection of legal and academic practice proposes a unique perspective, combining work experience from East Africa, India, the UK and the U.S. with a sympathy for vulnerable people at the sharp end of climate catastrophes. Dr. Moya is presently an Oxford Martin fellow at Oxford University.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

We have a special French-language episode this week with Mamadou Ismaïla Konaté, a well-known Malian lawyer, working in the Bars of Mali and Paris. He has been a Minister of Justice of Mali (2016-17). He is leading a professional association focusing on the development of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

In this episode with our fellow Expédit Ologou, Konaté argues that democracy is the worst political system except all the others. In spite of the ongoing military regimes in some countries, democracy should and will survive. But this will depend on the capacities of mobilization and resistance of the citizens and organizations all over the continent. Before and above all, the rehabilitation of democracy in Africa has undoubtedly to do with the reinvigoration of the fundamental pillars of freedom, equality and justice, and fundamentally, the reinvigoration of the rule of law.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Happy episode 200 of Ufahamu Africa! We're so pleased to feature one of our favorite episode formats for the occasion - a mashup! Thanks to the Global Stage podcast for hosting our cohost Rachel Beatty Riedl for a conversation with Notre Dame graduate student Rasheed Ibrahim and Afrobarometer director Joseph Asunka about the return of military coups on the continent.

It’s an important conversation stemming from a panel last week at the Global Democracy Conference hosted by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at Notre Dame.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

On May 29, South Africans will vote in the seventh election since the end of political apartheid in the early 1990s. This is the first election in which the ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), is polling below 50 percent, which could force them into a coalition with one or more other parties to govern the country after the election.

To learn more, we speak with Carolyn Holmes, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She is an expert on South African politics and the author of The Black and White Rainbow: Reconciliation, Opposition, and Nation-Building in Democratic South Africa.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

"Lack of internet access leaves many without information on economic opportunities, health, and education," write Jeffrey Conroy-Krutz, Komi Amewunou, and Kelechi Amakoh in a new article from Good Authority.

In today's bonus episode, Kim reads their latest piece, "Despite Africa's digital media boom, huge access gaps persist."

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

In the last few years, militaries have carried out coups in numerous African countries, including Gabon, Niger, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Guinea, Chad, and Mali. Does this signify the beginning of a much broader continent-wide “coup epidemic?” Or are these coups mostly affecting especially weak states that face specific challenges? Where is democratic resilience strong and where is there a risk of continued democratic backsliding?

Today's episode is borrowed from Good Authority and their new podcast! The episode features Good Authority’s Africa experts Ken Opalo and Kim Yi Dionne who discuss these issues. Opalo is an associate professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and the author of the substack An Africanist Perspective. Dionne is an associate professor at UC Riverside and Ufahamu Africa cohost.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Fellow Gopolang Botlhokwane speaks to journalist and editor Njabulo Ngidi about the recent AFCON in Ivory Coast and the politics of football (or soccer, for our American listeners!) in Southern Africa. Njabulo Ngidi is a senior soccer journalist, he formerly led Newframe South Africa‘s sports desk. Ngidi’s latest investigative piece at AmaBhungane Center for Journalism Read More...

It’s never too late to pay attention to what is happening in Sudan. The international community should be supporting everyday people’s needs as they navigate this humanitarian disaster and should also be supporting a way forward out of the war.

We're re-upping our conversation with Nisrin Elamin about the conflict in Sudan. Elamin is an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Toronto. Her work investigates the connections between land, race, belonging, and empire-making in Sudan and the broader Sahel region.

We also bring updates on the news we're paying attention to this week, including an announcement about a new Center for Global Democracy at Cornell University, which will be led by our cohost Rachel Beatty Riedl as inaugural director!

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Today we have an extremely timely French-language episode on Senegal and the newly elected president, which is hosted by one of our non-resident fellows, Expédit Ologou. He talks with Mamadou Seck, who is the regional manager of the Natural Resource Governance Institute for Francophone West Africa and Central Africa, and is based in Dakar. Seck's work oversees research in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea and Senegal.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Fellow Gopolang Botlhokwane speaks to political analyst and media expert Dr. Metji Makgoba about the domestic implications of South Africa's recent case against Israel at The Hague in the Netherlands, and the country's upcoming elections in which the ruling African National Congress is expected to lose its majority. Makgoba is also an academic and teaches communication at South Africa's University of Limpopo. Makgoba holds a PhD in journalism from Cardiff University.

Makgoba’s latest publication, "Constructing Black Economic Empowerment as a Radically Transformative Policy in South Africa," considers the appropriation of anti-apartheid and anti-colonial discourse to justify South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policy.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Imagine other worldly visitors have landed on Earth and are trying to learn about and understand Ghana and its politics. This episode from our new fellows, Fu Asiedu and Ami Tamakloe, provides a people’s political history and Ghanaian voices about its political present and their dreams for the country’s future.

They don’t just share what they think about former leaders like the father of independence, Kwame Nkhrumah, or about the two main political parties, the New Patriotic Party – the NPP – and the National Democratic Congress – the NDC. These Ghanaians who hail from different regions of the country also talk about specific policies, like president Nana Akufo-Addo’s policy proposal years ago when he was running for office – he’s widely remembered for proposing to make secondary education – or being able to go to Senior High Schools – SHS – for free. And, we get to hear about a third party that has recently emerged, dubbed The New Force.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Lawrence Were is an assistant professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Boston University, where he does research on public health. In a conversation with Kim, you'll hear more about the impact of health insurance and how access to it would improve health outcomes for individuals and communities.

In the news wrap, we catch up on President Macky Sall of Senegal and his rescheduling of the presidential election, the latest news from Haiti, and the removal of ECOWAS sanctions on Niger.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Black African diaspora and their relationships with the African continent is the topic of today's episode. One of last year's fellows, Takondwa Semphere, spoke with Khaleelah Logan, a creative strategist, art director, curriculum developer, and storyteller with a background that ranges across the global social impact sector.

With the emphasis in recent years on black travel, and the government of Ghana setting up “return to Africa” initiatives that target the black diaspora and set up pathways for travel and “return” to other African countries, Takondwa's conversation contributes to the larger discourses of blackness, power, and geopolitics. In addition, the prevalence of social media and cultural productions that purport to bridge the two groups together signal that there is a renewed sort of interaction between the two groups outside of the United States.

What does Takondwa’s conversation with Leelah spark for you? We always welcome listener feedback – just email us at ufahamuafrica@gmail.com.

Kha(Leelah) Logan is a creative strategist, art director, curriculum developer, and storyteller with a background that ranges across the global social impact sector. Her expressive footprint blends culture and data to synthesize ideas and execute projects that are visually appealing, impactful, and authentic. Her values, passion for learning, and global experience drive the intention within her work which has taken her to Ghana, Tanzania, and a few other countries.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Meet our new non-resident podcast fellows! Tune in today to hear short introductions to our fellows: Ami Tamakloe and Afua "Fu" Asiedu, Gopolang Botlhokwane, Expédit Ologou, and Basil Ibrahim.

We're looking forward to sharing their amazing episodes this spring - stay tuned!

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Senegalese President Macky Sall has postponed the presidential elections originally scheduled for February 25. It's part of a series of concerning moves by Sall to extend his stay in power. We talk with experts on the topic: Bamba Ndiaye and Michelle D. Gavin.

Bamba Ndiaye is an assistant professor of African studies at Emory University's Oxford College. He is also host of The Africanist podcast and a former Ufahamu Africa non-resident fellow.

Michelle D. Gavin is the Ralph Bunche senior fellow for Africa policy studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. She has over twenty years of experience in international affairs in government and non-profit roles.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

We're looking back on 2023 and forward to 2024 in this week's episode! Kim and Rachel talk about elections, democracy, and more on the continent.

Next week, we're excited to introduce you to our new non-resident fellows!

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

We're wrapping up our panel on democracy from the African Studies Association with a presentation from Paul Friesen on local democratic resilience under national autocracy. Friesen is a postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University, part of the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies's Democratic Threats and Resilience research team.

His research and teaching interests focus on democratization, elections, political parties, and political behavior in sub-Saharan Africa.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Dominika Koter, political scientist at Colgate University, presents the next case on democracy from our African Studies Association panel. You’ll hear her presentation on Benin and a news wrap from Kim and Rachel on South Africa's accusations of genocide against Israel, the current events in the Red Sea, and recent court cases involving Ousmane Sonko in Senegal.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Our African Studies Association panel continues this week with a case study on democracy in Tunisia from Cornell University's Alexandra Blackman. You'll hear her presentation on current events in Tunisia and a news wrap from Kim and Rachel on elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a recent news story on a valuable mask from Gabon.

This is our final episode of 2023! We'll be back in your feed in the new year.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Today, we have part one of our African Studies Association panel on African democracy, focusing on democratic backsliding and sites and actors that have worked for democratic endurance, strengthening, and democratic governance. You'll hear Rachel's introduction on democratic backsliding on the continent and a case study from Kim on Malawi, written with Boniface Dulani.

Next week, tune in for a presentation from Alexandra Blackman, assistant professor of government at Cornell University, for a case study on Tunisia.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Kwadwo Owusu, professor of geography and resource development at the University of Ghana, is our guest this week. He sits down with cohost Rachel Beatty Riedl for a conversation on climate and society, politics, and public policy around environmental health and well-being.

They discuss what issues are on the horizon as we consider natural resource changes, technological changes, and social changes surrounding climate adaptations, as well as the politics of the global south and global north.

This conversation followed a talk he gave at Cornell University's Institute for African Development on climate change and mining induced agricultural transformation in Ghana.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Yasah Musah, program manager with the Nubian Rights Forum and member of the Nubian community, joins our 2021-22 podcast fellow Maseke Rioba for a conversation about identity and citizenship in Kenya.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

This week we feature a conversation with Nisrin Elamin, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Toronto. Her work investigates the connections between land, race, belonging, and empire-making in Sudan and the broader Sahel region. In our conversation, we focus on the conflict in Sudan.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Sandile Mnikati, Lindah Mbaisi Chavuya, Eunice Ndeyapo Shapange, and Matshidiso Lencoasa are experts on public policy, planning, and governance from across the continent. We spoke with them about their visions for just governance while they were at Cornell University this summer completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders (YALI).

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

"Few were surprised as, near midnight on August 26, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission announced incumbent president Emmerson Mnangagwa’s reelection in yet another of Zimbabwe’s tendentious contests," writes David B. Moore. "His inauguration on September 4 sanctified his return to power."

In this article by Moore, first published in The Conversation Africa, he explains how the country's ruling party has clung to power for 43 years.

David B. Moore is research associate in the Department of Anthropology & Development Studies at the University of Johannesburg and fellow in Clare Hall at the University of Cambridge.

The article was read by Ami Tamakloe, our graduate podcast fellow. We are sharing the article here with the permission of a CC BY-ND 4.0 Deed license.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Aisha Namugga, Bashiru Koroma, and Louise Tekapso are climate experts from across the continent—Uganda, Sierra Leone, and Cameroon, respectively. We spoke with them about their expertise in climate change and sustainable environments while they were at Cornell University this summer completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders (YALI). The fellows discussed their vision for sustainable future with environmental justice.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Dede Barpeen, Gibson Mainaon, and Ruth Sulaimon are health professionals from across the continent—Liberia, Kenya, and Guinea-Bissau, respectively. We spoke with them about their expertise in public administration and health while they were at Cornell University this summer completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders (YALI).

The fellows speak to their vision for a just healthcare future, the constraints to this goal, and how effective healthcare policies are good for everyone.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

A three-day protest in Accra, Ghana, in late September addressed the economic strife faced by Ghanaians. Demonstrators were met with large numbers of arrests and pushback from police.

In today's episode, - the launch of season 8! - our graduate podcast fellow Ami Tamakloe speaks with three guests who were involved with the protests: Antoinette Boama, Barbara Ntumy, and Benjamin Darko.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

E. Tendayi Achiume is a professor of law at UCLA and a newly announced 2023 MacArthur Fellow. Her research focuses on international migration, refugee displacement, and especially the role of international law in shaping the way that borders work.

Today's episode is a rerun in celebration of her recent fellowship announcement and covers a broad scope of Achiume's work, including colonialism, human rights, and migration.

This episode is a podcast mashup between Ufahamu Africa and Migrations: A World on the Move, hosted by Eleanor Paynter.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Our student essay competition winner is Wisdom Adediji, an undergraduate student at the University of Ibadan! Wisdom reads his essay, "The Nigeria 2023 Election, Aftermath, and Way Forward to National Development," for this bonus episode.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Apply now to become an Ufahamu Africa non-resident fellow! Working remotely, fellows host and produce 4 unique episodes that are aired on the podcast with the support of a $3,500 stipend. Apply by August 30 on our website: https://www.ufahamuafrica.com/call-for-applications-podcast-fellows.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Our conversation with fellow Bamba Ndiaye and journalist Borso Tall continues this week, picking up where we left off on the sexual assault allegations against Ousmane Sonko and the uprising happening in their wake.

In case you missed it, listen to episode 176 and part 1 of the conversation.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

In our latest episode from fellow Bamba Ndiaye, Bamba speaks with journalist Borso Tall who has been covering the current socio-political and judicial unrest in Senegal. Today's episode is part 1 of a conversation on what's been happening in the country.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Roadblock Politics, The War That Doesn't Say Its Name, and Batman Saves the Congo all examine the seeming perpetual violence in the Congo and dispel misconceptions surrounding Congolese conflicts. These books were reviewed by Laura Seay, who wrote “No, Batman didn’t save the Congo, and other book reviews” for The Monkey Cage as part of the 2022 African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular.

Review read by Ami Tamakloe. Episode edited by Funanya Ikechukwu.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

In our latest from fellow Kamogelo Tinyiko Theledi, we talk about the representation of minority groups in South African art. Mainstream media often tells the story of majority groups and those who don’t fit into those stories are often considered outsiders.

Kamo talks to guests Mpho Tjope, Rhulani Baloyi, and Kamohelo Sebudi for this conversation. Mpho is an author, speaker, founder and managing director of Albinism Advocacy for Access (AAA). Rhulani is a South African journalist and television presenter best known for co-hosting the SABC1 youth talk show "Shift." And Kamohelo is a live performer and actor currently working as a Junior Creative Producer at Clive Morris Productions.

Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Today’s episode from fellow Maseke Rioba is a little different! Maseke interviews guest Njuguna Macharia about the sport of debate as a valuable development tool for African youth. Macharia is a lawyer, an experienced debater, and debate coach in Kenya. He speaks to the skills learned by debaters and how these tools benefit students beyond Read More...

From fellow Kamogelo Tinyiko Theledi comes this episode on arts funding and corruption in South Africa. Kamo speaks with multiple guests about South Africa’s Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture, a group that announced a relief fund of 150 million rand ($8.3 million) for artists, athletes, and others in these industries. Most of the money, Read More...

E. Tendayi Achiume is a professor of law at UCLA. Her research focuses on international migration, refugee displacement, and especially the role of international law in shaping the way that borders work. Today’s episode covers a broad scope of Achiume’s work, including colonialism, human rights, and migration. This episode is a podcast mashup between Ufahamu Read More...

On April 15, fighting broke out in Sudan between the army and a powerful para-military group known as the RSF. Khartoum is the site of much of this fighting and its citizens have been fleeing amid a humanitarian crisis. Three scholars speak about the crisis for this episode, which first aired as a webinar called Read More...

Ami Tamakloe, our graduate podcast fellow, is today’s host! Ami speaks with activist Fatima Derby about Uganda’s anti-gay bill, passed by its parliament on March 21. The bill criminalizes people who identify as LGBTQ and compels citizens to report those who do to authorities. Books, Links, & Articles

“War, Women, and Post-conflict Empowerment: Lessons from Sierra Leone depicts the everyday struggles of women trying to improve their lives, while illuminating the political, legal and economic conditions of Sierra Leoneans after civil war,” writes Miriam Anderson. This week’s episode is Anderson’s full review of the book, originally published in The Monkey Cage. Review read by Read More...

Carolyn E. Holmes writes for The Monkey Cage about two books that take different roads to understand South Africa:The Inheritors: An Intimate Portrait of South Africa’s Racial Awakening by Eve Fairbanks and Until We Have Won Our Liberty: South Africa after Apartheid by Evan Lieberman. “It is not that Fairbanks’s account of the New South Africa is pessimistic while Read More...

Today’s episode is a roundtable discussion with Rachel and guests Oumar Ba, Marame Gueye, and Bamba Ndiaye who shed light on the state of Senegalese politics and democracy. We discuss Senegalese president Macky Sall and his unwillingness to say whether or not he will run again, leading opposition politician Ousmane Sonko’s rape and defamation cases, Read More...

Laura Seay writes for The Monkey Cage that These Are Not Gentle People takes a deep look at community fear and mistrust. “Harding explores questions of fear, race and equality in post-apartheid South Africa, drawing a portrait of a community in which individuals of different racial groups are still very much afraid of one another,” writes Seay. Read More...

Takondwa Priscilla Semphere, one of our non-resident fellows, brings us a conversation about what it is like to be an African student and eventually a teacher. Takondwa is now a high school teacher in South Africa and she invites fellow teacher Keith Mundangepfupfu into a conversation about their own experiences in school and about school culture. Read More...

It’s a mashup! We join up with the Governance Uncovered podcast from Jeffrey Paller and the Governance and Local Development Policy Institute to talk to Prince Guma, Astrid Haas, and Patience Mususa. Each is an expert on the urbanization of the continent. We respond to Jeffrey’s recent article in This Week in Africa, “Five Trends that will Read More...

Fellow Bamba Ndiaye explores the policing of protest in Africa and the mechanisms used by African governments to repress social movements and activists, alongside guest and Ugandan activist Bwesigye Bwa Mwesigire. Mwesigire teaches at Emory University’s Institute of African Studies and is completing a PhD in English at Cornell University. He is also a member Read More...

Social media has an undeniable influence on politics and elections across the globe. Today, fellow Kamogelo Tinyiko Theledi speaks with expert guests Solly Moeng and Sthembiso Sithole about the use of social media by politicians and its effects on voters and elections. Solly Moeng is a brand reputation management expert and Sthembiso Sithole is a Read More...

Diakhoumba Gassama is a human rights lawyer and program officer for the Hewlett Foundation’s Gender Equity and Governance Program. She speaks with Ufahamu Africa fellow Maseke Rioba this week about the practice of FGM, or female genital mutilation. Listen for a conversation that incorporates both personal experience and the cultural and legal context surrounding FGM Read More...

In this review from The Monkey Cage’s African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular, Travis B. Curtice tells us that Policing and Politics in Nigeria: A Comprehensive History “is a must read” for anyone trying to understand #ENDSARS, militarization, and the lingering effects of settler colonial dynamics on police. The book was reviewed by Curtice in July 2022. Review read Read More...

What does Africa mean to us today? Fellow Takondwa Priscilla Semphere teaches at the African Leadership Academy, a school where approximately 35 African countries are represented at one time. Takondwa speaks with her students about the complicated question of how we understand and define Africa and its people for this episode. In the news wrap, Kim Read More...

Idayat Hassan is the director of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), an Abuja-based policy advocacy and research organization focusing on deepening democracy and development in West Africa. She talks to Rachel this week about the upcoming Nigerian elections and all there is to be hopeful about – the possibility for change, engagement from Read More...

Fellow Kamogelo Tinyiko Theledi sheds a light on the problem of load-shedding and its impact on independent theater companies in South Africa for this episode.”Load-shedding” refers to the deliberate shutdown of electric power in a part or parts of a power distribution system, generally to prevent the failure of the entire system when the demand Read More...

In this review from The Monkey Cage’s African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular, Dan Eizenga tells us that The Islamic State in Africa “offers a wealth of information, contributing a great deal to the scholarly body of work focused on militant Islamist groups in Africa.” The book was reviewed by Eizenga in July 2022. Review read by Ami Tamakloe. Read More...

Fellow Bamba Ndiaye talks to two very exciting guests this week about political uprisings and social activism on the continent, from both activist and scholar perspectives. Sophia Denise Sow is a founding member of Senegal’s Y’en a Marremovement and Zachariah Mampilly, cofounder of the Program on African Social Research (PASIRI) and the Marxe Endowed Chair Read More...

Happy new year from the Ufahamu Africa team! We’re back with a conversation with Manuel de Araújo, mayor of Quelimane, Mozambique about how he became mayor, why he switched political parties in 2018, and what motivates voters in Mozambique. In the news wrap, Kim and Rachel share updates on Nigerian elections, the famine in Read More...

Joe Muturi is president of the SDI Network, a social activist, and leader of Muungano wa Wanavijiji, the national federation of slum dwellers in Kenya. Muungano is the largest social movement in Kenya, which for over 20 years has campaigned against forced evictions and in support of secure tenure and improved services for Kenya’s poor Read More...

Lauren Honig is an assistant professor of political science at Boston College whose work addresses questions of property rights, the roles of informal and customary institutions, natural resource politics, and state-citizen linkages. Lauren talks to Kim this week about her new book, Land Politics: How Customary Institutions Shape State Building in Zambia and Senegal. Plus, in Read More...

We're in conversation this week about the recent arrest of Malawi vice president Saulos Chilima. Kim, our resident Malawi expert, answers Rachel's questions about what is happening, the historical context, and more. In Kim's recent article for The Monkey Cage, she writes: "Malawians have seen tensions between their presidents and VPs before. They may be somewhat cynical about government attempts to fight corruption."

Eric Osei Assibey is the dean of international programs at the University of Ghana, Legon and an associate professor of economics. He joins our cohost Rachel Beatty Riedl to talk about the financial situation in Ghana, the state of the Ghanian economy, and the effects of the war in Ukraine on the country.

Following up from last week, last season's fellow Samah Fawzi continues the deep dive into Western Sahara, this time through discussions with guests Chaia Luali and Maghlaha Hamma, who share their insights on women’s lives and the various roles they lead in Tindouf refugee camps and the Sahrawi cause.

Chaia Luali is a Western Sahara activist from the Sahrawi refugee camps, she is member of the National Union of Saharan Women and Dialogue Coordinator at Non Violence group. Chaia obtained a Media and Communication degree from Algeria. She is also a social activist who has participated in several projects for women and children.

Magla Hamma Aaghena from Western Sahara, a non-violence and peace-building activist who has worked in volunteering for 10 years and has headed the nonviolence group (NOVA) for two years and works for Nidhal organisation for Peace and Violence in Western Sahara. A member of Youth Dialogue for Peace in North Africa project.

Books, Links, & Articles

Global, Regional and Local Dimensions of Western Sahara’s Protracted Decolonization When a Conflict Gets Old
Vice News: The Sahara’s Forgotten War

In this episode, our fellow from last season, Samah Fawzi, does a deep dive into the Western Sahara, its history, composition, and current affairs. She engages in discussions with Sahrawi people from different professional backgrounds and geographical location, with the aims of detangling complex and at times contradictory historical tales, shedding light into the often Read More...

Why are Kenyans seeking extra jobs outside of their full time work? Gretchen Walch and Soinato Leboo, fellows from our 2021-22 cohort, interview Nairobi-based friends Boniface and Joanne about their personal experiences and perspectives to better understand the job market, the phenomena of the side hustle, and how people are making it in Kenya.

Welcome back to the podcast! Kim and Rachel return for season 7 of the show with a recap of some exciting things that happened while we were on break, new books we are looking forward to learning from, and an introduction of our newest cohort of fellows. Books, Links, & Articles Activist Origins of Political Read More...

In this review from The Monkey Cage's African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular, Laura Seay tells us that Born in Blackness is a compelling, unforgettable read. Hear the full review on today's bonus episode!

"Despite a tense campaign period, low voter turnout (46%), and the opposition’s calls to secure the votes in certain localities, election day remained peaceful and highly competitive," write Oumar Ba, Rachel Beatty Riedl, and Bamba Ndiaye.

Hear the full article from The Conversation: Africa on today's bonus episode, read by Ami Tamakloe.

This week’s episode is a rerun of a conversation we had with coup expert Naunihal Singh, inspired by his recent tweets about another coup attempt in Burkina Faso.

In this conversation from April 2022, Singh breaks down what coups are, shares how he began studying them, and what we should know about what was happening on the continent at the time.

In this review from The Monkey Cage’s African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular, Laura Seay tells us that The Black and White Rainbow “deserves to be a classic in the field.” The book is a story of race, citizenship, and memory in South Africa, reviewed by Seay in September 2021.

Michela Wrong’s book, Do Not Disturb: The Story of a Political Murder and an African Regime Gone Bad, explores the 2013 murder of an exiled Rwandan official. In this bonus episode, hear Laura Seay’s review of the book, first published in The Monkey Cage in August 2021.

What happened to the 276 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram in April 2014? A book by Joe Parkinson and Drew Hinshaw named after the movement, “Bring Back Our Girls,” tells the story. This episode is a reading of Laura Seay’s review of the book, first published in The Monkey Cage in July 2021.

Today’s bonus episode is three book recommendations in one! Our co-host Kim Yi Dionne co-wrote this article with Laura Seay in July 2021 about three reads that offer a deep dive into Kenyan politics: Regime Threats and State Solutions, Political Violence in Kenya, and Kakuma Refugee Camp. Review read by Ami Tamakloe. Books, Links, & Read More...

From Sudan-based fellow Samah Fawzi, this episode is about about Somalia and Somalis, as they are in real life and real time. Our guests are Mohamed Shidane from Mogadishu, the Capital of Somalia, Hassan Jama from Hargeisa, the Capital of Somaliland, and Najih Al-Hilowli, a Somali based in Sweden. They share with us their views on the current status of affairs in Somalia and Somaliland, the intricate connections binding the Somalis across the globe, and what they believe to be the best method to rectify prejudices and media fallacies.

Books, Links, & Articles

Mohamed Shidane
Hassan Jama Ali
Najih Al-Hilowli
Yemenis in Hargeysa
The Africa They Don’t Show You in the Media - Hargeisa Somaliland 2021
STATEMENT OF SPECIAL SITTING OF THE KZN PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
“Over 300 killed after flooding washed away roads, destroyed homes in South Africa” by David McKenzie, Larry Madowo, Mia Alberti and Angela Dewan, CNN
“More rain expected across South Africa's east coast as flooding death toll rises to 395” by Amy Cassidy and Jack Bantock, CNN
“Miscalculating Tunisia” by Steven A. Cook
“Political, Not Partisan: The Tunisian General Labor Union under Democracy” by Dina Bashara and Sharan Grewal
“Next Africa: Ramaphosa’s Xenophobia Warnings May Be Too Late” by Antony Sguazzin
The Postcolonial State in Africaby Crawford Young

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep. 113: A conversation with Nanjala Nyabola about "Travelling While Black"

In this bonus episode, hear Ami Tamakloe read Laura Seay’s review of Negotiating Public Service in Congo, a collection edited by Tom De Herdt and Kristof Titeca.

The review was published as part of the 2020 African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular (#APSRS20), and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage, a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post.

Books, Links, & Articles

"Negotiating Public Serve in Congo Is a Smart and Compelling Read" by Laura Seay
Negotiating Public Service in Congo: State, Society, and Governance edited by Tom De Herdt and Kristof Titeca

Zainab Usman is a senior fellow and director of the Africa Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. This week, she talks to Rachel about the importance of economic diversification in Africa and how it can contribute to a more climate resilient Africa.

In the news wrap, Kim and Rachel talk about the killing of a fearless Somali female MP, Kenyan country music, and the Zimbabwean president’s party (ZANU PF) losing support in the polls.

Books, Links, & Articles

Zainab Usman, senior fellow and director of the Africa Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Economic Diversification in Nigeria: Fractious Politics and the Paradox of Prosperity by Zainab Usman
"From Nashville to Nairobi: A History of Country Music in Kenya" from Afropop Worldwide
"Female Opposition MP Among Dozens Killed in Somalia Bombings" by Kaamil Ahmed
"Kingdom Comeback: The Spectacular Return of Benin’s Looted Art"by Ayodeji Rotinwa
"Zanu-PF Trounced in Zimbabwe Parliamentary and Municipal By-elections" by Frank Chikowore
"Financing Political Parties in Africa: The Case of Zimbabwe"by Chipo Dendere
How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates
The Future of Money: How the Digital Revolution Is Transforming Currencies and Finance by Eswar Prasad
"Taxation, Political Accountability and Foreign Aid: Lessons from Somaliland" by Nicholas Eubank

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep. 103: A conversation with Cyril Obi of the African Peacebuilding Network

Soinato Leboo and Gretchen Walch are our next fellows! In this episode, they talk to four friends and acquaintances about their experiences of both belonging and otherness in Kenya. Each of their perspectives were unique, but converged in their hopes for Kenya’s future.

In the news wrap, Kim and Rachel talk about healthcare and a new hospital funded by Bismack Biyombo, the Kenyan political elections, and more.

Books, Links, & Articles

"Suns' Bismack Biyombo Donating Entire 2022 Salary to Build Hospital in Democratic Republic of the Congo"
"The Congolese NBA Veteran Whose Heart and Generosity Never Left Home"
"Somaliland Courts U.S. for Independence Recognition"
Fears of election rigging may fuel further abuses in Kenya: democracy could be the loser by Gabrielle Lynch, Justin Willis, and Nic Cheeseman

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep. 137: A conversation with Mai Hassan about politics in Kenya and Sudan

This week, Rachel interviews Mai Hassan, an associate professor in political science at the University of Michigan. Hassan's research focuses on the state, autocracy, and regime change.

In the news wrap, Kim and Rachel talk about the digitization of Mali's prized manuscripts ("Mali Magic"), the French exit from Mali, and what's going on in the war in Ukraine.

Books, Links & Articles * Regime Threats and State Solutions: Bureaucratic Loyalty and Embeddedness in Kenyaby Mai Hassan * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Arabic) by J.K. Rowling * Review by Foreign Affairs. Regime Threats and State Solutions: Bureaucratic Loyalty and Embeddedness in Kenya Reviewed by Nicolas van de Walle * Africa Brief Newsletter Foreign Policy Newsletter * Episode 1.13- Manipulating Personnel for Power with Mai Hassan Scope Conditions Podcast * Mali Magic * Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time: Art, Culture, and Exchange across Medieval Saharan Africa, The Block Museum of Art * GHANA’S FAKE NEWS ECOSYSTEM: An Overview * "The Smithsonian’s Plan to Return the Benin Bronzes Comes After Years of Relationship Building" by Alicia Ault * What to make of the French exit from Mali? By Oumar Ba and Ousmane Diallo * "My Escape from Ukraine." The Continent. Bisola Ehi Ogolowa’s Eyewitness Account * "Mai Hassan Receive the 2021 Robert A. Dahl Award"

Previous Episodes We Mentioned * Ep. 131: A conversation with Yang-Yang Zhou of the Scope Conditions Podcast * Ep. 64. A conversation with Hannah Armstrong on politics in Algeria, the Sahel, illicit trafficking and borders

Where are the young Africans in climate diplomacy and who is keeping them out? In this episode fellow Chido Nyaruwata speaks to Elizabeth Gulugulu about the processes that shape the international climate regime. Drawing on her reflections as programs manager for the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change, Zimbabwe and YOUNGO Global South Focal Point, Gulugulu highlights the need for meaningful youth engagement by governments and civil society organizations as young Africans have limited access to finance for their climate action plans and face restrictions to climate diplomacy spaces.

Books, Links, & Articles * “How War in Ukraine May Impact Africa” by Mvemba Phezo Dizolele * “Africa Reacts to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine” * “Trust Deficit in Electoral Body as Kenya Prepares for Elections” by Oscar Otele * ACE- Action for Climate Emergency * Chido Nyaruwata * Elizabeth Gulugulu * Targets for Slowing Down Fast Fashion policy brief * Policy Brief by Zimbabwean Youth on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) Enhancement Process * "Did COP26 move the needle on climate action? A young delegate from Zimbabwe reflects" by Elizabeth Gulugulu

Happy International Women's Day! We are releasing this week's episode today in celebration, featuring an interview given by one of our non-resident fellows: Wanjiku Ngugi. Wanjiku's interview with Nerima Were is about women's rights in Africa and sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Nerima Were is the deputy executive director at the Kenya Legal & Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS (KELIN). She was formerly a program manager of KELIN's sexual and reproductive rights thematic area. She is a lawyer and holds masters and undergraduate degrees in law from the University of Pretoria.

Books, Links, & Articles

Wanjiku Ngugi
Challenging Patriarchy: The Role of Patriarchy in the Roll-back of Democracyby Nerima Were, Linda Kroeger, Tabitha Saoyo, and others
Decolonization and Afro Feminism by Sylvia Tamale
A Thousand Splendid Sunsby Khaled Hosseini
Unbowedby Wangari Maathai
Linny Hoo - Gidess Chalamanda
"Why Ukrainians are Being Treated Differently than Refugees From Other Countries" by Andrew Limbong
Kelin Kenya
Rosebell Kagumire's Twitter
Nerima Were's Twitter

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep. 122- Hear Ufahamu Africa on Migrations: A World on the Move

In this bonus episode, hear Ufahamu Africa host Kim Yi Dionne read her review of Love Falls On Us: A Story of American Ideas and African LGBT Lives, a book by Robbie Corey-Boulet.

The review was published as part of the 2020 African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular (#APSRS20), and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage, a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post.

Books, Links, & Episodes

"'Love Falls on Us' Explores the Intersection of African LGBT Rights and American Activism" by Kim Yi Dionne
Love Falls on Us: A Story of American Ideas and African LGBT Lives by Robbie Corey-Boulet

In this bonus episode, hear Ufahamu Africa host Kim Yi Dionne read Laura Seay’s review of Female Monarchs and Merchant Queens in Africa, a book by Nwando Achebe.

The review was published in last year's African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular (#APSRS20), and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage, a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post.

Books, Links, & Articles

"Nwando Achebe's New Book Is a Fascinating Look at Africa's Queens, Past and Present" by Laura Seay
Female Monarchs and Merchant Queens in Africa by Nwando Achebe
Transient Workspaces: Technologies of Everyday Innovation in Zimbabwe by Clapperton Chakanetsa Mavhunga
These Bones Will Rise Again by Panashe Chigumadzi

How can ECOWAS and the African Union combat ongoing coups in Mali and Burkina Faso? We spoke with international relations scholar Emmanuel Balogun about the tools that ECOWAS and the AU have at their disposal to fight coups and about the obstacles the intergovernmental agencies will face in trying to use them.

Books, Links, & Articles

Emmanuel Balogun
Worldmaking after Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination by Adom Getachew
Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War by Howard W French
Neither Settler nor Native: The Making and Unmaking of Permanent Minorities by Mahmood Mamdani

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep. 108: A conversation with Adom Getachew on postcolonialism, worldmaking, and more
Ep. 133: A conversation with Naunihal Singh about coups

Neither Settler nor Native: The Making and Unmaking of Permanent Minorities

Coups are on our minds this week, especially with recent events in Burkina Faso and Guinea-Bissau. Kim and Rachel talk about their own views on "coup contagion" and how their perspectives have changed over time. Then, Kim talks to coup expert Naunihal Singh, who breaks down what coups are, shares how he began studying them, and what we should know about what's happening on the continent now.

Books, Links, & Articles

Seizing Power: The Strategic Logic of Military Coups by Naunihal Singh
"Burkina Faso's Coup Makers Capitalized on Wider Grievances within Ranks" by Maggie Dwyer
"Burkina Faso’s Coup Is Deja Vu All Over Again" by Chris Olaoluwa Ogunmodede
"Failed Attack in Guinea-Bissau Shakes Coup Weary West Africa" by Vagner Barbosa
"Strategies of Repression: Judicial and Extrajudicial Methods of Autocratic Survival" by Fiona Shen-Bayh
"What Happens When Coups Fail? The Problem of Identifying and Weakening the Enemy Within" by Josef Woldense
"Pro Footballer Sadio Mane is Providing UBI to a Poor Region of Senegal"
"Anyone Planning A Coup Should Read This First" by Kim Yi Dionne
"There Wasn't A Coup In Lesotho But Will There Be?" by Kim Yi Dionne
Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War by Howard W. French
Decolonizing Politics: An Introduction by Robbie Shilliam
Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor

Bamba Ndiaye is a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in the Society for the Humanities and the Music Department at Cornell, and also our guest this week! He's at work on a book project called "Black Social Movement and Digital Technology," and we talk to him about democracy in Senegal, his work on "neo pan-Africanism," and more!

Books, Links, & Articles

The Africanist Podcast with Bamba Ndiaye
"One in 10 Black People Living in the U.S. Are Immigrants, New Study Shows" by Emmanuel Felton
WGAPE @ Cornell Call for Papers and Research Designs
African History through the Lens of Economics: An Initiative by the Wheeler Institute
for Business and Development
The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah Jones
"Discussing an Africa and African Diaspora-centered non-profit organization: Bridge Kids International." from the Africanist podcast
Bridge Kids International
The Pirogue (2012) directed by Moussa Touré
"ROUGE MÉLODIE" by Baydallaye Kane
No Woman No Cry by Asse Gueye

As fans of the Scope Conditions podcast, we're excited to share this interview with Yang-Yang Zhou, one of the hosts of the show. Scope Conditions features cutting-edge research in comparative politics from across the world, so we took this opportunity to talk to Zhou about her own cutting-edge work studying the effects of migrants on host communities.

Take a listen to this great conversation between Kim, Rachel, and Yang-Yang Zhou!

Books, Links, & Articles
Scope Conditions Podcast with Yang-Yang Zhou & Alan Jacobs * DOEK! by Rémy Ngamije * "Ignorance, Denial, and Insurgency in Mozambique" by Corrina Jentzsch * Welcome to the AFCON party! by Njie Enow in Yaoundé * "Reexamining the Effect of Refugees on Civil Conflict: A Global Subnational Analysis" by Yang-Yang Zhou & Andrew Shaver * "Celebrities Reduce Prejudice? The Effect of Mohamed Salah on Islamophobic Behaviors and Attitudes" by Ala Alrababah, William Marble, Alexandra Siegel, Salma Mousa * "Kenya and Tanzania: How Sport Affects Nationalism, and Attitudes towards Refugees" by Leah Rosenzweig & Yang-Yang Zhou * "Building Nations through Shared Experiences: Evidence from African Football" by Emilio Depetris-Chauvin, Ruben Durante, Filipe Campante * Episodes of Scope Conditions with Salma Mousa, Elizabeth Iams Wellman, and Mai Hassan * Ep. 34 Yang Yang Zhou and Leon Rosenzweig- Political Economy Forum * Mothers of Victims & Survivors Network * Regime Threats and State Solutions: Bureaucratic Loyalty and Embeddedness in Kenyaby Mai Hassan * The Eternal Audience of One* by Rémy Ngamije

Previous Episodes We Mentioned
* Ep. 63: A conversation with Muna Ndulo on international financial transparency, investment vs. insurgency, and more

African legal scholar Nkatha Kabira joins us this week for a conversation about the past, present, and future of African law. Kabira is a lecturer at the University of Nairobi and was the fall 2021 Distinguished Africanist Scholar at Cornell University's Institute for African Development.

In our conversation, Kabira shares her vision for a conference on the future of law in Africa and makes recommendations for how legal education and practice can be developed on the continent when formal legal institutions sometimes hold limited power. In the news wrap, Kim and Rachel talk about the African Cup of Nations, ECOWAS sanctions applied to Mali, and more.

Books, Links, & Articles

33rd African Cup of Nations
"The African Cup of Nations" from the 11 Named People Newsletter
"Don’t Expect Regional Organizations to Rein in Coups"
The Muridiyya on the Move: Islam, Migration, and Place Making by Cheikh Anta Babou
The Africanist Podcast

Welcome back to a new year of Ufahamu Africa! Kim and Rachel talk about some of your and our favorite episodes of 2021, the big events that affected Africa in 2021, and more!

Books, Links, & Articles

Ufahamu Africa on Foreign Policy Playlist
The Lawfare Podcast: Making Sense of the Crisis in Ethiopia
"The Enemy in Her Imagination: A Fable" by Elleni Centime Zeleke
"Take the Soul from Everyone, and the Liberty of All" by Rama Salla Dieng
The West Africa Autocratization Tracker by Expédit Ologou
Senegal’s violent protests reveal that its long-stable democracy is fragile, after all by Kamissa Camara
Shaping the Future of Power Knowledge Production and Network building in China-Africa Relations by Linda Benabdallah
It’s Time to Up Our Democracy Promotion Game by Michael McFaul
"China's Soft-Power Advantage in Africa" by Lina Benabdallah
Benin's Militant Problem May Worsen After Last Month's Election by Christina Cottiero
"A Look Back at Significant Events that Shaped Africa in 2021"

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep. 9: A conversation with Dr. Laura Seay on conflict and minerals in DRC
Ep. 36: A conversation with Hilary Matfess on women and Boko Haram
Ep. 48: A conversation with Michael Woldemariam on the political shakeup in the Horn of Africa
Ep. 84: A Lunar New Year conversation with Jamie Monson
Ep. 97: A conversation with Lina Benabdallah on the link between China and Africa
Ep. 103: A conversation with Cyril Obi of the African Peacebuilding Network

We're excited to announce our 2021-22 non-resident fellows: Chido Nyaruwata, Wanjiku Ngugi, Samah Fawzi, and team Soinato Leboo and Gretchen Walch. On this episode, they introduce themselves and, of course, share what they're reading! You'll hear more from them throughout season 6, including episodes created and produced by each of them.

In the news wrap, Kim and Rachel talk about the South African football team, the Africa Cup of Nations (AfCon), the Democracy Summit hosted by the Biden administration, the recent sentencing of Benin's Reckya Madougou, and state-sponsored hacks of Ugandans.

Books, Links, & Articles

The Continent
"U.S. Policy in Africa Should Reflect Renewed Commitment to Democracy"
"She Could Have Been Benin's First Female President. She Was Just Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison."
"Spy Tool Was Deployed in State-Sponsored Hack of Ugandans"
"Israeli Company’s Spyware Is Used to Target U.S. Embassy Employees in Africa"

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep. 113: A conversation with Nanjala Nyabola

Judd Devermont and Nicole Wilett from "49," a new podcast from the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), join us this week to offer Africa policy recommendations for the Biden administration and to share their process of fitting hundreds of pages of historical research into five-minute podcast segments. Judd Devermont is the Director of the Africa Program at CSIS and was recently asked to serve as a Special Advisor for Africa Strategy to the White House. Nicole Wilett is chief of staff at the Open Society Foundations. Together, they co-host 49, a podcast examining the past, present, and future of U.S. policy towards sub-Saharan Africa.

In the news wrap, Kim and Rachel talk about Joe Biden's Summit for Democracy.

Books, Links, & Articles
Association of Diplomatic Studies and Training * Into Africa, hosted by Judd Devermont * These are Not Gentle People by Andrew Harding * Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor * The Good American*by Robert D. Kaplan * "When Africans Speak Out, Are Their Governments Listening?"

These Are Not Gentle People

Who Fears Death

The Good American: The Epic Life of Bob Gersony, the U.S. Government's Greatest Humanitarian

Ufahamu Africa is a podcast about life and politics on the African continent, co-hosted by Kim Yi Dionne, professor of political science at the University of California, Riverside, and Rachel Beatty Riedl, professor of government at Cornell University.

“Ufahamu” is a Kiswahili word that translates to “understanding” or “consciousness” in English. We seek to expand our collective understanding of Africa through in-depth interviews with diverse thinkers and innovators who are deeply ingrained in the life, culture, and politics of the continent. Our weekly episodes also feature news highlights and overviews of what we are reading and learning.

In this bonus recording, hear Ufahamu Africa host Kim Yi Dionne read Laura Seay’s review of Shaping the Future of Power: Knowledge Production and Network-Building in China-Africa Relations, a book by Lina Benabdallah (@LBenabdallah).

The review was published in last year's African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular (#APSRS20), and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage (@monkeycageblog), a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post.

Kim and Rachel close up Season 5 highlighting some of the major events on the continent and enjoying hearing some good news from friends of the podcast. Have a listen and you'll hear Grieve Chelwa, Anne Meng, TJ Tallie, Hilary Matfess, Judd Devermont, and Laura Smith share some great updates so we can celebrate some wins as we look back on this challenging year. … More Ep. 126: Season 5 Finale

Alhousseini Diabate joins us this week for a conversation about land access and food access in West Africa, particularly in Mali. This version of the episode is dubbed in English, but the original episode was conducted between Rachel and Diabate in French. You can find the French version of the episode on ufahamuafrica.com.Don't forget to also send us recorded clips of you sharing your good news with us! We will share everyone's good news in our upcoming season 5 finale episode.

Books, Links, & Articles

Méthodologie du pluralisme juridique by Ghislain Otis

L’adoption coutumière autochtone et les défis du pluralisme juridique by Ghislain Otis

Ufahamu Africa Call for Applications: Non-Resident Fellows [CLOSED]

Joining us this week is Tarila Marclint Ebiede, adjunct assistant professor of international affairs at Brussels School of Governance, Brussels, Belgium. His research examines the reintegration of ex-combatants, political violence, the impact of violent conflicts on local governance, youth and violence, peacebuilding and security in Nigeria. We talk to him about his research, the recent news of a fallen military jet plane in Nigeria, and his new Conflict Research Network (CORN) West Africa initiative.In the news wrap, Kim and Rachel talk about that fallen military jet in Nigeria and share updates on the books you should be reading. … More Ep. 124: A conversation with Tarila Marclint Ebiede about about violence and governance in Nigeria

Earlier this year, Liliane Umubyeyi and Amah Edoh joined Cornell University's Institute for European Studies to talk about their collaborative work on reparations, especially related to Belgium and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We share selected excerpts of their talk in this week's episode, and you can find a link to watch the full panel in this week's show notes. In the news wrap, Kim and Rachel talk about the arrest of former South African President Jacob Zuma and the subsequent protests. Plus, more about COVID vaccines on the African continent.

Hear more of our conversation with Nanjala Nyabola, continued from Ep. 113: A conversation with Nanjala Nyabola. In this podcast mash-up with Cornell University's Migrations: A World on the Move podcast. Their episode shares previously unaired parts of our conversation with Nanjala and Migrations postdoctoral fellow Eleanor Paynter. Nyabola's work and writing spans themes of migration, politics, and personal experience in her new book "Travelling While Black." Listen to the episode to hear her read excerpts from select essays.

Books, Links, & Articles

Travelling While Black: Essays Inspired by a Life on the Move by Nanjala Nyabola

Prison Notebooks by Antonio Gramsci

Cornell University’s Migrations initiative

Migrations: A World on the Move podcast

Vaccine Nationalism Is Patently Unjust by Nanjala Nyabola

Africa Migration Report: Challenging the Narrative

Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI)

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep. 113: A conversation with Nanjala Nyabola

In her book, "Branding Humanity: Competing Narratives of Rights, Violence, and Global Citizenship," Amal Fadlalla writes about the Save Darfur movement and how it gained an international following. We bring her onto the show this week for a conversation about her work and her expertise in Sudan.In the news wrap, Kim and Rachel talk about global climate change, more updates from the Tigray region of Ethiopia, the protests in Eswatini, and more.

Hear us on Foreign Policy Playlist this week when Rachel and Kim talk about Ufahamu Africa's vision and mission and the show features Kim's conversation about the genocide in Ethiopia's Tigray region with Dr. Goitom Gebreluel from episode 117. … More Hear Ufahamu Africa on Foreign Policy Playlist

Joining us this week is friend of the show, Zachariah Mampilly! He speaks with Kim about researching and teaching African politics, as well as his Program on African Social Research (PASR) which supports junior African scholars as they work to publish in academic journals.In the news wrap, Kim and Rachel talk about the Islamic State in Mozambique, news from Nigeria, and political updates in Côte d'Ivoire. … More Ep. 120: A conversation with Zachariah Mampilly on researching African politics

In their upcoming book, "After the Arab Uprisings: Progress and Stagnation in the Middle East and North Africa," Shamiran Mako and Valentine Moghadam share their work on democracy and social transformation in North Africa after the Arab Spring. In an interview with Rachel, Mako and Moghadam talk about the six years of research leading up to the book and explain the four key frameworks of their analysis: state and regime type, civil society, gender relations and women's mobilizations, and external influence.There's no news wrap this week, but you can still see what we're reading, listening to, and learning this week in the show notes on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Books, Links, & Articles

After the Arab Uprisings: Progress and Stagnation in the Middle East and North Africa by Shamiran Mako and Valentine M. Moghadam

The Arab Spring: Pathways of Repression and Reform by Jason Brownlee, Tarek Masoud, and Andrew Reynolds

How To Hide An Empire: A History of the Greater United States by Daniel Immerwahr

“Morocco ‘weaponized’ migration to punish Spain. That’s more common than you think.” by Kelly M. Greenhill

“What would bring stability after the death of Chad’s president?” by Daniel Eizenga

“Somaliland at 30: Still unrecognised, but alive and well” by Markus Virgil Hoehne

“Polls Open in Somaliland’s Local and Parliamentary Elections” by Harun Maruf and Khadar Mohamed Akule

“What Do We Know About Chinese Lending in Africa?” by Zainab Usman

This week, we are re-airing Kim's interview with Ashley Currier, whose work looks at LGBT organizing in Africa. Currier spoke to Kim about her books, "Out in Africa" and "Politicizing Sex in Contemporary Africa," visibility of African activists, and homophobia on the continent.In the news this week: a coup in Mali, volcanic eruptions in eastern Congo, and reduced food rations in Rwandan refugee camps. Plus, Kim and Rachel share a summer music recommendation!Don't forget to also send us your good news! We will be sharing the wins of our listeners in a future episode, anything from exciting graduation announcements to book publications to being reunited with a family member after getting vaccinated! Email us a phone recording of your good news to ufahamuafrica@gmail.com. … More Ep. 118: A rerun of our conversation with Ashley Currier about LGBT organizing in Africa

As violence and unrest in the Tigray region of Ethiopia continues, we bring Goitom Gebreleul on the show. Gebreleul is a researcher in international and comparative politics of the Horn of Africa at Hatèta Policy Research. In his interview with Kim, he shares the evidence that this is a genocide and tells listeners what they can do to help. There's no news wrap this week, but you can still see what we're reading, listening to, and learning this week in the show notes on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

Books, Links, & Articles
“Africans find it hard to learn what their governments are up to. It’s no surprise many suspect corruption.” by Joseph Asunka and Carolyn Logan

“Somaliland deserves international recognition” by The Economist

“Sudan: Lethal Force Used Against Protesters” by Human Rights Watch

“Why the Tigray investigation should be conducted by the UN, alone” by Goitom Gebreluel and Mulu Beyene

“Ethiopia: The Massacre in Axum” by Amnesty International

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep. 102: A conversation with Noah Nathan about the Ghanaian election

Joining us this week are special guests Christina Cottiero, a political science PhD student at UC San Diego doing award-winning research on regional security issues in West Africa, and Expédit Ologou, the founder and president at the Civic Academy for Africa’s Future, an independent research think tank in Benin, and a Senior Political Governance Officer for the Benin Office of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. They join Rachel for a conversation about the presidential election in Benin and ongoing concerns about de-democratization in the country.

In the news wrap, Kim and Rachel talk about Lesotho's political impasse, corruption in South African politics, connecting looted African art to the BLM movement, and more.

Books, Links, & Articles

“A Trip to Lesotho, the ‘Kingdom of the Sky'” by Alan Taylor
“Lesotho’s political impasse: A case of déjà vu?” by Craig Moffat
“South Africa’s ruling party is going after corrupt leaders. That’s only half the problem.” by Patrick Pierson
“The ANC’s “Top Six” in South Africa” by John Campbell
“Magashule Files Court Papers against Ramaphosa, ANC” by Emsie Ferreira
“If U.S. Museums Say Black Lives Matter, Then They Should Return Africa’s stolen art” by Karen Attiah
“Kenya Leader’s Constitutional Reform Bid Illegal: High Court”
“Concealing Conflict Markets: How Rebels and Firms Use State Institutions to Launder Wartime Trade” by Rachel Sweet
“Rebels with a business cause: Part I” by Sam Ratner
“Benin Continues to Slide toward Autocracy” by Tyson Roberts
“Chad’s President Lived and Died by the Gun. Will the Country Shift Away from Militarized Rule?” by Marielle Debos
“Benin’s Militant Problem May Worsen after Last Month’s Election” by Christina Cottiero

Robtel Neajai Pailey is a writer, activist, and academic whose recent book engages with the topic of citizenship in Africa, especially in Liberia. She joins Rachel for a great conversation about her work, the scholar-activists who influence and inspire her, and how to make our work ethical, emancipatory, and accessible. We conducted this interview on the sidelines of the 52nd Annual Liberian Studies Association conference, hosted by Cornell University's Institute of African Development.

In the news wrap, Kim and Rachel talk about academic freedom in Zambia, the corruption trial in South Africa against its former president, and legal challenges surrounding closings of Kenyan refugee camps, and Twitter's move to Ghana.

Books, Links, & Articles

Development, (Dual) Citizenship and Its Discontents in Africa: The Political Economy of Belonging to Liberia by Robtel Neajai Pailey
Weight of Whispers by Yvonne Owuor
Growth of the Liberian State: An Analysis of Its Historiography by Clarence E. Zamba Liberty
Storycraft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction by Jack Hart
Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom by bell hooks
“Surviving on Borrowed Power: Rethinking the Role of Civil Society in Zambia’s Third-Term Debate” by Sishuwa Sishuwa
“Irony and Panic as Zambia’s Authoritarianism Turns to Intellectuals” by Fumba Chama
“South Africa’s ANC Allowed Looting, President Says” by Joseph Cotterill
“Malawi: Death Penalty Defeated”
“Kenyan Court ‘Temporarily Blocks’ Closure of Refugee Camps”
“Establishing Twitter’s presence in Africa” by Kayvon Beykpour and Uche Adegbite
“Twitter’s New Office in Ghana Seen as a Snub to LGBT+ People” by Nita Bhalla

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep. 113: A conversation with Nanjala Nyabola
Ep83. A conversation with Yvonne Owuor on development, politics, storytelling, and more

Special guest Dan Eizenga, research fellow at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, joins us to share his expertise on Chad and the recent death of Idriss Déby. Listen to learn what happened, who is in charge of Chad now, and what it all means. In the news wrap, Kim and Rachel talk about new restrictions from the U.S. on Ugandan officials, share new resources like an edited volume on coronavirus politics, and a new postdoc opportunity on global racial justice available from Cornell University.

Books, Links, & ArticlesCoronavirus Politics: The Comparative Politics and Policy of COVID-19 edited by Scott L. Greer, Elizabeth J. King, Elize Massard da Fonseca, André Peralta-Santos

The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon

The Perfect Nine: The Epic of Gĩkũyũ and Mũmbi by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

Wrestling with the Devil: A Prison Memoir by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

Living by the Gun in Chad: Combatants, Impunity and State Formation by Marielle Debos

The Trial of Hissène Habré: How the People of Chad Brought a Tyrant to Justice by Celeste Hicks

“Death of Déby leaves big worries in Chad and beyond” by Obi Anyadike

“US imposes fresh visa restrictions on Ugandan officials over poll” by Julius Barigaba

“US slaps visa bans on Ugandans linked to disputed polls” by Al Jazeera

Judd Devermont’s Twitter Thread

“Comparative Analysis of Covid-19 Transmission and Mortality in Select African Countries” by Kanayo K. Ogujiuba and Uviwe Binase

“Adapting Covid-19 Containment in Africa: Lessons from Tanzania” by Thespina (Nina) Yamanis, Ruth Carlitz, and Henry A. Mollel

“Confronting Legacies and Charting A New Course? The Politics of Coronavirus Response in South Africa” by Joseph Harris

Previous Episodes We MentionedEp. 113: A Conversation with Nanjala Nyabola

Ep. 46 A Conversation with Evan Mwangi on Translations, Literature

In a special podcast mashup with Migrations: A World on the Move, hosted by Cornell postdoc Eleanor Paynter, we interview Nanjala Nyabola on human mobilities, asylum, vaccine nationalism, and activism that centers human experiences. Her new book, Travelling While Black, is a collection of essays on her experiences traveling to over 70 countries. Plus, she offers us a number of African novels on migration that we should read next! This conversation was recorded at an event held on April 12 called Race and Racism Across Borders, hosted by Cornell University's Migrations initiative and the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies.

Books, Links, & ArticlesTravelling While Black: Essays Inspired by a Life on the Move by Nanjala Nyabola

Digital Democracy, Analogue Politics: How the Internet Era is Transforming Politics in Kenya by Nanjala Nyabola

Books by Leila Aboulela

Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih

The Dragonfly Sea by Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor

Books by Niq Mhlongo

When Rain Clouds Gather and Maru by Bessie Head

“Vaccine Nationalism Is Patently Unjust” by Nanjala Nyabola

The Nyabola Prize for Science Fiction

“Bessie Head: A Life of Letters” by Nanjala Nyabola

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep83. A conversation with Yvonne Owuor on development, politics, storytelling, and more

We've got another deep dive episode this week, featuring a conversation between Kim and Rachel on COVID-19 vaccines, global distribution, and the difference between equality and equity.They also take us through some of the top news stories of the week, including ongoing talks about a hydroelectric dam on the Nile River in Egypt, the election in Djibouti, and more.
Books, Links, & Articles

Bargaining for Women’s Rights: Activism in an Aspiring Muslim Democracy by Alice Kang
“The Man Who Helped Make Ordinary Africans’ Voices Heard” by David Pilling
“West Africans Welcome Strong Government Action against COVID-19. But Many Still Don’t Trust Their Government.” by Aminatou Seydou
“Egypt, Ethiopia Tensions Escalate as Nile Dam Talks Falter” by Amira El-Fekki and Jared Malsin
“Starving Tigray: How Armed Conflict and Mass Atrocities Have Destroyed an Ethiopian Region’s Economy and Food System and Are Threatening Famine”
“How Far Will the Ethiopian-Eritrean Alliance Go?” by Lynsey Chutel
“The Conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region: What to Know” by Michelle Gavin
“Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Will Lead to the Biggest Reduction in Deaths”
“‘We Are Not Guinea Pigs’: The Effects of Negative News on Vaccine Compliance” by Belinda Archibong and Francis Annan
“The Legacy of Colonial Medicine in Central Africa” by Sara Lowes and Eduardo Montero
“COVAX: Working for Global Equitable Access to COVID-19 Vaccines”

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep6. A conversation with Dr. Melissa Graboyes on colonial medical experiments in East Africa

Kim and Rachel take a deep dive into the protests in Senegal, explaining everything you need to know about what's happening and what it means. They also talk about the recent death of Tanzanian president, John Magufuli. And in lieu of a guest, we feature our student essay competition winner, Hammed Kayode Alabi! Hammed is a graduate student at the University of Edinburgh studying Africa and international development. He reads for us his winning essay, called "#EndSARS Movement We Will Remember."

Books, Links, & ArticlesPolitical Protest in Contemporary Africa by Lisa Mueller

Democracy in Africa: Successes, Failures, and the Struggle for Political Reform by Nic Cheeseman

War and Genocide in South Sudan by Clémence Pinaud

“Tanzania’s John Magufuli: a brilliant start but an ignominious end” by Aikande Clement Kwayu

Twitter thread on Magufuli by Nanjala Nyabola

2nd International Colloquium of African Studies Migration, security and inequalities

“Populism Rising” by CSIS Into Africa Podcast

“Senegal’s vaccination campaign works to overcome mistrust” by Aïda Dramé

“‘It’s radical’: the Ugandan city built on solar, shea butter and people power” by Caleb Okereke

“Inside Africa’s world-leading coronavirus supply chain” by Reid Wilson

“Will the Death of President Magufuli Bring Real Change to Tanzania?” by Judd Devermont and Marielle Harris

Ep13. A conversation with Constantine Manda about increasing authoritarianism in Tanzania

Ep28. A conversation with Dr. Kathleen Klaus on Kenya’s annulled elections and more

Ep78. A conversation with Kathleen Klaus on land and politics in East Africa and beyond

Ep. 96: A conversation with Yonatan Morse about the 3 crises in Cameroon

Ep. 107: A conversation with Jacqueline-Bethel Mougoué on gender, identity, and nationalism in Cameroon

N’Dri Thérèse Assié-Lumumba joins us in conversation this week to discuss her new book, the history of human capital theory, education in Africa, and tells us what is giving her hope. In this week's news, we announce the winner of our student essay competition, share links to a virtual symposium on immigration and the changing dynamics of blackness, and talk about what is going on with COVID-19 vaccines on the African continent.

Books, Links, & Articles

Education and Development: Outcomes for Equality and Governance in Africa edited by Leah Marx and N’Dri T. Assié-Lumumba

Re-Visioning Education in Africa: Ubuntu-Inspired Education for Humanity edited by Emefa J. Takyi-Amoako and N’Dri T. Assié-Lumumba

The Meanings of Timbuktu edited by Shamil Jeppie and Souleymane Bachir Diagne

Making African America: A Virtual Symposium on Immigration and the Changing Dynamics of Blackness

Blog Post on The Genius of Fela Kuti and Afrobeat (feat. Femi & Made Kuti) by Mark Anthony Neal

The Genius of Fela Kuti and Afrobeat (feat. Femi & Made Kuti)

“A Crucial Barrier to Covid-19 Response in Africa: Public Trust in Government Institutions” by Violet Wawire

“Africa has started vaccinating against the coronavirus. But do citizens trust their governments on vaccine safety?” by Aminatou Seydou

Not one guest, but three on our latest episode! Rachel speaks with Grace Adeniyi-Ogunyankin, Francis Nyamnjoh, and George Ofosu about postcolonial theory, decolonization of the university, and knowledge generation. All three have contributed to the Oxford Encyclopedia of African Politics, and we have access for our listeners to the chapters of our guests.

Books, Links, & Articles

Living by the Gun in Chad: Combatants, Impunity and State Formation by Marielle Debos

The Oxford Encyclopedia of African Politics

The Palm-Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola

My Life in the Bush of Ghosts by Amos Tutuola

Decolonization and Afro-Feminism by Sylvia Tamale

My Life in Red and White by Arsene Wenger

The Education of a British-Protected Child by Chinua Achebe

The Political Economy of Development: A Game Theoretic Approach by Robert H. Bates

The History of Philosophy by A. C. Grayling

Twitter Thread on Rose Lokissim by Judicaelle Irakoze

Parler de Rose

Africa Podfest's Newsy

Africa Podcast Day by Africa Podfest

Africa-RDG-2021-Call-for-Applications

"Experimental Research in African Politics" by George Kwaku Ofosu

"Postcolonial Approaches to the Study of African Politics" by Grace Adeniyi Ogunyankin

"Decolonizing the University in Africa" by Francis B. Nyamnjoh

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep69. A conversation with Boniface Dulani on Malawi’s elections, chieftaincy, and more

In our last episode of Black History Month, Rachel interviews political theorist Adom Getachew on her new book, which reconstructs an account of self-determination offered in the political thought of Black Atlantic anticolonial nationalists during the height of decolonization in the 20th century.

We have lots of great recommendations for listeners this week, including books on race and feminism, a virtual event on African folktales, a virtual resource for those of us missing travel and fieldwork, podcast episodes you should listen to, and more!

Books, Links, & Articles

Worldmaking after Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination byAdom Getachew
White Tears/Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color by Ruby Hamad
To Exist Is to Resist: Black Feminism in Europe ed. by Akwugo Emejulu & Francesca Sobande
The Expansion of International Society ed. by Hedley Bull & Adam Watson
Neither Settler nor Native: The Making and Unmaking of Permanent Minorities by Mahmood Mamdani
"Africans Want Elections, but Fewer Believe They Work"
Reflections on 1960, the Year of Africa
"Georgia Southern Offers Program of African Folktales in Virtual Black History Month Event"
Digital Fieldwork
"My Heart Is in Cairo": Malcolm X, the Arab Cold War, and the Making of Islamic Liberation Ethics"
Journal of American History Podcast
"Black Moses" Lives On: How Marcus Garvey's Vision Still Resonates

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep5. A conversation with Dr. T.J. Tallie to kick off Black History Month
Ep7. A conversation with Dr. Michelle Moyd on colonial East African soldiers
Ep8. A conversation with Dr. Daniel Magaziner on an Apartheid-era art school
Ep58. A conversation with Wendell Marsh on the history (and modernity) of Islam and the African world

Jacqueline-Bethel Mougoué is an assistant professor of gender and sexuality in African Cultural Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In her conversation with us, she highlights her work in Cameroon on gender, identity, and nationalism, which has culminated in the publication of a new book, "Gender, Separatist Politics, and Embodied Nationalism in Cameroon." As we continue our celebration of Black History Month, we share what we're paying attention to right now. In addition to a film recommendation in this week's news wrap, Kim explains what is going on with COVID-19 vaccines in Africa, Rachel explains a case of environmental activism in South Africa, and more.

Books, Links, & Articles

Scrambling for Africa: AIDS, Expertise, and the Rise of American Global Health Science by Johanna Tayloe Crane

Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue

You Will Die at Twenty (Trailer)

"Beyond Petrostates: The Burning Need to Cut Oil Dependence in the Energy Transition" by Carbon Tracker

"Global Health Officials back AstraZeneca Vaccine after South Africa Study Rings Alarm" by John Revill

"South Africa Pauses AstraZeneca Vaccine Rollout after Study Shows it Offers Less Protection against Variant" by Jamie Gumbrecht, Sharif Paget, and Naomi Thomas

"Statement on the Efficacy of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) against the SARS-CoV-2 Variants" by Africa CDC

"South Africa: SLAPP in the Face for Australian Mining Company" by John Yeld

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep. 103: A conversation with Cyril Obi of the African Peacebuilding Network

This week's episode features Cécile Fromont, an associate professor of art history at Yale University, who was a panelist for "Repatriation of Museum Objects," an event held by Cornell University's Institute for European Studies. She shares her perspective through four stories, drawing on her work as a historian of African and visual material culture in the early modern period. Listen to part 1 of this episode for more context about the event.

Books, Links, & Articles

White Ferocity:The Genocides of Non-Whites and Non-Aryans from 1492 to Date by Rosa Amelia Plumelle-Uribe

"Histories of Dress: Fashioning Identity in West Africa and the United States" by Kayla Renée Wheeler and Jody Benjamin

"Black Islam Syllabus" by Kayla Renée Wheeler

"A Genealogy of African Islam Modernity" by Wendell Marsh

Africa Development, Volume 45, n° 2, 2020

"Ferocity of Whites, Ferocity of Capitalism" by Samir Amin

"Some GOP members didn’t accept Biden’s win. What happens when an anti-democratic faction rocks a democracy?" by Rachel Beatty Riedl and Kenneth Roberts

"There’s a long, troubling history behind the Capitol attack" by Kathleen Klaus and Aditi Malik

"Museveni’s Rhetorical Belief in Democracy and the 2021 Elections in Uganda" by Moses Khisa

"Uganda opposition leader Bobi Wine calls on court to nullify election result" by Samuel Okiror

"EO.0.0.7943 in Forum on Decolonisation and colonial collections: An unresolved conflict" by Maarten Couttenier

"Common Threads: Cloth, Colour, and the Slave Trade in Early Modern Kongo and Angola" by Cécile Fromont

Johann Theodor de Bry and Johann Israel de Bry, First Encounter of the Portuguese with the Ruler of Soyo and his Baptism

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep56. A conversation with Dr. Anta Sané and Dr. Ndongo Symba Sylla about the Senegalese elections

Ep58. A conversation with Wendell Marsh on the history (and modernity) of Islam and the African world

This week, we are sharing expertise from Souleymane Bachir Diagne who spoke on a panel last October as part of "Repatriation of Museum Objects" for Cornell University's Institute for European Studies. Next week, we will be sharing the expertise of Cécile Fromont, another of the event's panelists, as part 2 of this episode.In the news, Kim and Rachel talk about recent events in Ethiopia and Niger, how food security affects us all, and the recent transfer of power in the United States.

Books, Links, & Articles

Female Monarchs and Merchant Queens in Africa by Nwando Acheb

Women and the War on Boko Haram: Wives, Weapons, Witnesses by Hilary Matfess

Restituer le Patrimoine Africain by Felwine Sarr and Bénédicte Savoy

"Bobi Wine and the Fraught Elections in Uganda" by Global Dispatches podcast hosted by Mark Leon Goldberg

"Crisis in Mozambique" by Global Dispatches podcast hosted by Mark Leon Goldberg

"What to Watch in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2021" by Judd Devermont, Marielle Harris, Yemi Adamolekun, Lina Benabdallah, Will Brown, Maria E. Burnett, Emilia Columbo, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, Hilary Matfess, Kyle Murphy, Rafiq Raji, Jon Temin, and Laird Treiber

"Risk of Famine in Four Countries, Warns UN Agencies’ Report" by World Food Programme

"Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman's Inaugural Poem" by CNN

"The Restitution of African Cultural Heritage. Toward a New Relational Ethics" by Felwine Sarr and Bénédicte Savoy

"A Regional Action Plan for the Return of African Cultural Property to Their Countries of Origin" by ECOWAS

"Open Society Pledges Support for African Cultural Heritage Restitution" by Open Society Foundations

"How African Body Markings Were Used to Construct the Idea of Race in Colonial Brazil" by Aldair Rodrigues

"Martin Luther King Jnr., Pan-African" by&

Happy New Year! We are back with our first episode of 2021, and a conversation between our co-hosts Kim and Rachel. On our minds from 2020: the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa, many of the elections held in the past year, and as always, we share what we are reading and the scholars and perspectives we're watching.
Books, Links, & Articles

Authoritarian Origins of Democratic Party Systems in Africa by Rachel Beatty Riedl

From Pews to Politics: Religious Sermons and Political Participation in Africa by Gwyneth H. McClendon and Rachel Beatty Riedl

Africa Uprising: Popular Protest and Political Change by Adam Branch and Zachariah Mampilly

Political Protest in Contemporary Africa by Lisa Mueller

Kilombo: International Relations and Colonial Questions by Mustapha K. Pasha, Meera Sabaratnam and Robbie Shilliam

Decolonising Intervention: International Statebuilding in Mozambique by Meera Sabaratnam

Politics of African Anticolonial Archive

HIV Exceptionalism: Development through Disease in Sierra Leone by Adia Benton

“Uganda: The Unsurprising Pre-election Violence by Security Forces”

“Soldiers and Police Are on the Streets as Ugandans Prepare to Vote” by Travis Curtice

“Bobi Wine and the Making of a President” by Into Africa

“Malawians Elected a New President in Tuesday’s Historic Election” by Kim Yi Dionne and Boniface Dulani

“The Puzzle of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa”

“Africans Don’t Just Live to Die. A Response to the New York Times.”

“How Colonialism and Austerity Are Shaping Africa’s Response to the Coronavirus: An Interview with Simukai Chigudu”

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Joining us in conversation this week is Cyril Obi, program director of the African Peacebuilding Network, to talk with Rachel about the geopolitics of oil in Africa, his work with the Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa Program, and the great work of the African Peacebuilding Network. And if you're still looking for gifts for your African studies friends, check out this week's news wrap where Kim and Rachel share the books we should be reading. In other news, we talk Ghanian elections, all of the happenings in the Sahel, and Malawi being selected as the country of the year.

Books, Links, & Articles

Western Sahara: War, Nationalism, and Conflict Irresolution by Stephen Zunes and Jacob Mundy

Travelling While Black: Essays Inspired by a Life on the Move by Nanjala Nyabola

Development, (Dual) Citizenship and Its Discontents in Africa: The Political Economy of Belonging to Liberia by Robtel Neajai Paile

Global Norms and Local Action: The Campaigns to End Violence against Women in Africa by Peace Medie

The Governance, Security and Development Nexus: Africa Rising edited by Kenneth Omeje

Peacebuilding in Contemporary Africa: In Search of Alternative Strategies edited by Kenneth Omeje

South Africa's Post-Apartheid Military: Lost in Transition and Transformation by Lindy Heinecken

The Postcolonial African State in Transition: Stateness and Modes of Sovereignty by Amy Niang

Community of Insecurity: SADC's Struggle for Peace and Security in Southern Africa by Laurie Nathan

War-Time Care Work and Peacebuilding in Africa by Fatma Osman Ibnouf

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep. 91. A conversation with Peace Medie about gender and conflict in Africa, writing research and fiction, and more

Ep. 102: A conversation with Noah Nathan about the Ghanaian election

Nana Akufo-Addo has just won the presidency in this week's Ghanaian election with about 51 percent of the vote. We interview Noah Nathan, who has just published a new book on electoral politics in Ghana. He also tells us about his upcoming work on political brokers and party and state bureaucracy. Rachel and Kim tell us what's going on in African news this week, including in Western Sahara, the Ugandan election, and more about presidential term limits.

Books, Links, & ArticlesGandah-yir: The House of the Brave: the Biography of a Northern Ghanaian Chief (ca. 1872-1950) by S.W.D.K. Gandah

The Silent Rebel by S.W.D.K. Gandah

Ethnicity and the making of history in northern Ghana by Carola Lentz

"Western Sahara: A Fragile Peace" by Hannah Armstrong

"Morocco and Israel to Establish Diplomatic Relations with U.S. Backing" by Anne Gearan, Karoun Demirjian, Mike DeBonis and Souad Mekhennet

African Affairs Ghana Virtual Issue

"The Uncertainties of Ghana’s 2020 Elections" by Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai and Naaborle Sackeyfio

"Bobi Wine and Goliath" by Liam Taylor

50 Notable African Books of 2020 by Brittle Paper

"Liberia’s Weah Might Be in for a Rude Awakening at the Polls" by Robtel Neajai Pailey

"Opposition Leads Early Results in Key Counties" by William Q. Harmon

"The Perils of Presidentialism" by Juan J. Linz

"The Connections of Party Brokers" by Sarah Brierley and Noah Nathan

"Clientelism’s Red Herrings: Dead Ends and New Directions in the Study of Non-Programmatic Politics" by Allen Hicken and Noah L. Nathan

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep. 1: A conversation with Dr. Kojo Asante on Ghana’s 2016 elections

Ep. 64: A conversation with Hannah Armstrong on politics in Algeria, the Sahel, illicit trafficking, and borders

The Silent Rebel

Why would a dictator create constraints to their own power? Anne Meng explains to us in this week's episode! Meng shares her expertise, which can also be found in her newly published article, "Winning the Game of Thrones," and book, "Constraining Dictatorship." In other news, Kim and Rachel cover Ivorian elections, term limits, and the insurgency in Northern Mozambique.

Books, Links, & Articles

How Insurgency Begins: Rebel Group Formation in Uganda and Beyondby Janet Lewis

Southern Politics in State and Nation by V.O. Key

Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

"Winning the Game of Thrones: Leadership Succession in Modern Autocracies" by Anne Meng

"Ivory Coast Reelected Its President. Opposition Candidates Boycotted the Voting." by Tyson Roberts

"Are Efforts to Limit Presidential Power in Africa Working?" by Rachel Beatty Riedl

"So Many 'Africanists,' So Few Africans" by Zack Zimbalist

"So Many 'Africanists,' So Few Africans: Reshaping Our Understanding of 'African Politics' through Greater Nuance and Amplification of African Voices" by Zack Zimbalist

"Trajectory of Violence in Northern Mozambique Points to Long-term Security Challenge" by Emilia Columbo

"The Genesis of Insurgency in Northern Mozambique" by David M. Matsinhe and Estacio Valoi

"Why Ethiopia's Conflict Could Spill beyond Its Borders" by David Kampf

"Another First for Okonjo-Iweala, the 2020 African of the Year" by allAfrica

"A Former Ambassador Says the U.S. Needs to Reimagine Its Engagement with a Modern Nigeria" by John Campbell

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep. 40: A conversation with Abou Bamba on Francafrique, the Ivorian miracle, and more

Ep. 63: A conversation with Muna Ndulo on international financial transparency, investment vs. insurgency, and more

A Game of Thrones / A Clash of Kings / A Storm of Swords / A Feast of Crows / A Dance with Dragons

Southern Politics in State and Nation

Happy #100EpisodesOfUfahamu! For our 100th episode, Rachel interviews Siba Grovogui about race and racism in international relations. You can listen to the interview in English or French! Kim and Rachel talk about Zambia's COVID response, a crisis in Ethiopia, and the passing of Jerry Rawlings. We also announce our Ufahamu Africa essay competition. Submit a one-page essay reflecting on a topic of your choice within the broad scope of life and politics in African politics to win some podcast swag or a chance to read your essay on a future episode.

Books, Links, & Articles

Insurgent Fragmentation in the Horn of Africa: Rebellion and its Discontents by Michael Woldemariam

Democracy in Ghana: Everyday Politics in Urban Africa by Jeffrey Paller

Francis Bacon: The New Organon

"Come to Africa: A Hermeneutics of Race in International Theory" by Siba N. Grovogui

"Zambia’s Response to COVID-19 Part 3: Rising Infections and Falling Confidence amidst Increased Authoritarianism"

"In Zambia, COVID-19 Has Claimed Democracy, Not Human Life" by Sishuwa Sishuwa

"As Africa Groans under Debt, It Casts Wary Eye at China" by Joe Parkinson, James Areddy, and Nicholas Bariyo

"COVID’s Next Economic Crisis: Developing-Nation Debt" by
Avantika Chilkoti and Gabriele Steinhauser

"Urgent Support Needed To Help Ethiopian Refugees Reaching Sudan" from UNHCR

"Ethiopia, Led by a Nobel Peace Winner, Is Looking Down the Barrel of Civil War" by Yohannes Woldemariam

"U.S.-China Competition May Be a Win-Win for Africa" by Naunihal Singh, Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny, and E. Gyimah-Boadi

"Ethiopia: East Africa’s Emerging Giant" by Claire Felter

Previous Episodes We Mentioned

Ep. 47: A conversation with George Bob-Milliar and Lauren MacLean about student protests at KNUST in Ghana

Ep. 48: A conversation with Michael Woldemariam on the political shakeup in the horn of Africa

Ep. 65: A conversation with Jeffrey Paller on urban politics, democracy in Ghana, and more

Ep. 87: A conversation with Marja Hinfelaar on Zamb

We are delighted to share this conversation between Nobel Prize winner Program of African Studies (PAS) and professor of English. Thank you to PAS for sharing this interview with us, which they hosted on October 2, 2020. Soyinka shares his thoughts on the American presidential election, the African diaspora, reclaiming African art, and more. Before the interview, Kim and Rachel share some news highlights, including election controversies in Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire.

Books, Links, & Articles

Political Protest in Contemporary Africaby Lisa Mueller

"The Massive Protests in Nigeria, Explained" by Tarila Marclint Ebiede

“How the #EndSARS Movement Upended Politics as Usual in Nigeria” by Chris Olaoluwa Ogunmodede

“Guinea’s President Claims He Won Reelection. Thousands of Guineans Disagree” by Lisa Mueller

Siba N’Zatioula Grovogui

Wole Soyinka

Chris Abani

Podcasts and the Study Of Africa: A Digital Technology’s Impact On Research, Teaching, And Public Engagement

Previous Episodes We MentionedEp. 51: A conversation with Lisa Mueller on protests in Africa

Ep. 75: A conversation with Richard Banegas on citizenship, identity cards, and more

In the news this week: #EndSARS, elections in Tanzania, and more. Kim and Rachel put these events into context and share what you need to know. This week's interview features guest host Patrick Mbullo Owuor in conversation with Denielle Elliott about KEMRI, Elliott's new research, and more!

Books, Links, & ArticlesReimagining Science and Statecraft in Postcolonial Kenya: Stories from an African Scientist by Denielle Elliott

A Different Kind of Ethnography: Imaginative Practices and Creative Methodologies, Edited by Denielle Elliott and Dara Culhane

How Autocrats Compete: Parties, Patrons, and Unfair Elections in Africa by Yonatan Morse

Constraining Dictatorship: From Personalized Rule to Institutionalized Regimes by Anne Meng

Sick Building Syndrome and the Problem of Uncertainty: Environmental Politics, Technoscience, and Women Workers by Michelle Murphy

"Nigerian Protestors Have Been Shot at by Security Forces in Lagos #EndSARS Demonstrations" by Yomi Kazeem

EndSARS

"Nigeria's Useless Politicians Are Trying to Crush #EndSARS. Africa's Leaders Are Silent" by Karen Attiah

"Opposition Complains of Repression as Tanzania Heads to the Polls"

King's College London Africa Week

King's Archives Showcase Part of Their Collection ahead of Africa Week 2020

Keynote Lecture: Global Blackness and Transnational Solidarity with Dr. Awino Okech

African Studies Association Annual Teachers' Workshop 2020: Transnational Solidarities

Podcasts and the Study of Africa: A Digital Technology's Impact on Research, Teaching, and Public Engagement

Neurological Imaginaries

Center for Imaginative Ethnography (CIE)

The Rift Valley Institute Is Hiring!

The African Peacebuilding Network Is Hiring!

Previous Episodes We MentionedEp. 96: A conversation with Yonatan Morse about the 3 crises in Cameroon

Presidential elections are happening in multiple African countries, where we're seeing constitutional changes that allow presidents to seek third terms. Kim and Rachel also talk about the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Nigeria, the politics of education access, and a new report on migration in Africa. This week's interview features Lina Benabdallah—an expert on China-Africa relations—and the links between China and Africa (plus, her new book!).

Books, Links, & Articles

Shaping the Future of Power: Knowledge Production and Network-Building in China-Africa Relations by Lina Benabdallah

A Sensational Encounter with High Socialist China by Paul G. Pickowicz

"With Elections Ahead, Some African President Try Engineering Results" by Ruth Maclean

"Africa Reacts to the First Presidential Debate and Trump's Case of COVID-19" by CSIS Africa

"#EndSARSNow Is Just the Beginning of Police Reform in Nigeria" by Bulama Bukarti

"Bid to Rein in Police's Rogue SARS Unit Falls Flat—Again" by Tolu Olasoji

"Nigeria is Fighting Its Own Battle against Police Brutality" by Tolu Olasoji and Leah Feiger

"The Politics of Education Access in Tanzania" by James Habyarimana and Ken Opalo

"Africa Migration Report: Challenging the Narrative"

"How to Talk about COVID-19 in Africa" by Nanjala Nyabola

When I Say Africa (Documentary)

"Why We Made a Film about Images That Cast Africans Only as Victims" by Cassandra Herrman and Kathryn Mathers

"The West is Obsessed with "Saving" Africa. Is That the Problem?" by Adam Taylor

Previous Episodes We MentionedEp. 4: A conversation with Lina Benabdallah on China and Africa

Ep. 93: A conversation with Kim Yi Dionne and Ken Opalo about the politics and policy of the COVID-19 pandemic and more

Yonatan Morse, assistant professor of political science at the University of Connecticut, says that there have been three crises occurring in Cameroon over the last few years. He discusses them with Kim in this week's interview. In the news: 400,000 people have not been able to register to vote in Burkina Faso, the world is watching the U.S. election, and more!

Books, Links, & Articles
How Autocrats Compete: Parties, Patrons, and Unfair Elections in Africa by Yonatan Morse

Social Policy Expansion in Latin America by Candelaria Garay

Envy in Politics by Gwyneth H. McClendon

Democracy in Ghana: Everyday Politics in Urban Africa by Jeffrey W. Paller

Electoral Politics and Africa' Urban Transition: Class and Ethnicity in Ghana by Noah Nathan

Legislative Development in Africa: Politics and Postcolonial Legacies by Ken Ochieng' Opalo

"Surrounded by War, Burkinabe Civilians Have Votes Taken Away"

Upcoming Elections in Africa (Press Statement by Secretary of State Michael Pompeo)

Nando's USA Twitter Posts about the Election

"The Challenge of Observing American Democracy"

Mtima Rising - EP by Chmba

Malawi Mouse Boys on NPR Tiny Desk Concerts

A lot is happening in the news! Kim and Rachel highlight some of the things they're seeing in their news feed, including: ECOWAS and Mali, African responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Takondwa Semphere's recent review of Beyonce's "Black is King." Kim interviews Oumar Ba, whose new book about the International Criminal Court highlights his expertise in international justice.

Books, Links, & ArticlesStates of Justice: The Politics of the International Criminal Court by Oumar Ba

Cold War Assemblages: Decolonization to Digital by Bhakti Shringarpure

Amílcar Cabral: A Nationalist and Pan-Africanist Revolutionary (Ohio Short Histories of Africa) by Peter Karibe Mendy

Economic Community of of West African States (ECOWAS)

The Sahel Crisis since 2012 by Clionadh Raleigh, Héni Nsaibia, and Caitriona Dowd

Emmanuel Balogun

Beyond African Royalty by Takondwa Semphere

Ancestors by Dudley Randall

"Book Review: Inequality, Socio-Cultural Differentiation, and Social Structures in Africa" by Antje Daniel (Africa Spectrum Journal)

Chika Oduah on Twitter

A Separatist Group is Seeking to Break Away from Ghana to Create a New West African Nation

Book Review of Kate Skinner's The Fruits of Freedom in British Togoland: Literacy, Politics, and Nationalism, 1914-2014

International Criminal Court

International Court of Justice

Amílcar Cabral’s Life as a Pan-Africanist, Anti-Colonial Revolutionary Still Inspires

Announcing the annual TMC African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular

Previous Episodes We Mentioned
Ep. 87: A conversation with Marja Hinfelaar on Zambian politics, environment, and energy, and more

We're back with season 5 of the Ufahamu Africa podcast! In this teaser episode, Kim and Rachel share what they've been reading, the conversations and guests they are looking forward to, and announce that the podcast has received funding from the Carnegie Corporation. Tune in every Saturday for new episodes that will continue to prioritize African perspectives as we learn about life and politics on the continent.

Books, Links, & Articles
From Pews to Politics: Religious Sermons and Political Participation in Africa by Rachel Beatty Riedl and Gwyneth H. McClendon

Democracy in Ghana: Everyday Politics in Urban Africa by Jeffrey W. Paller

Electoral Politics and Africa's Urban Transition: Class and Ethnicity in Ghana by Noah L. Nathan

The Political Life of an Epidemic: Cholera, Crisis and Citizenship in Zimbabwe by Simukai Chigudu

His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie

Constraining Dictatorship: From Personalized Rule to Institutionalized Regimes by Anne Meng

Exiles of Eden by Ladan Osman

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Queering Colonial Natal: Indigeneity and the Violence of Belonging in Southern Africa by T.J. Tallie

The Brutish Museums: The Benin Bronzes, Colonial Violence and Cultural Restitutionby Dan Hicks

States of Justice: The Politics of the International Criminal Court by Oumar Ba

Poetry as Prayer by Mona Hakimi and Takondwa Semphere, found on Instagram @meshraghihakimi and @takon_dwa

"How the Coronavirus Pandemic is Fueling Ethnic Hatred," by Jessica Gottlieb and Adrienne LeBas

"Why Race Matters in International Relations," by Kelebogile Zvobgo and Meredith Loken

Previous Episodes We MentionedEp. 91: A conversation with Peace Medie about gender and conflict in Africa, writing research and fiction, and more

Ep. 5: A conversation with Dr. T.J. Tallie to kick off Black History Month

In this bonus recording, hear Ufahamu Africa host Kim Dionne (@dadakim) read her review of two recent books with insights on how increasing urbanization in Africa changes (or doesn’t change) politics and power: Noah L. Nathan’s (@noahlnathan) “Electoral Politics and Africa’s Urban Transition: Class and Ethnicity in Ghana,” and Jeffrey W. Paller’s (@JWPaller) “Democracy in Ghana: Everyday Politics in Urban Africa.” The review was published in this past Friday’s installment of the African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular (#APSRS20), and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage (@monkeycageblog), a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post. … More Bonus: Hear a review of two new books on what Africa’s urbanization means for politics

In this bonus recording, hear Ufahamu Africa host Kim Dionne read Emmanuel Balogun’s (@Ea_Balogun) review of “The Political Life of an Epidemic,” written by Simukai Chigudu (@SimuChigudu), a professor of politics at Oxford University. The review was published in this past Friday’s installment of the African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular (#APSRS20), and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage (@monkeycageblog), a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post. … More Bonus: Emmanuel Balogun’s review of “The Political Life of an Epidemic”

In this bonus recording, hear Ufahamu Africa host Kim Dionne read Laura Seay’s review of From Pews to Politics: Religious Sermons and Political Participation in Africa, a book by Rachel Beatty Riedl and Gwyneth McClendon. The review was published in this past Friday’s installment of the African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular (#APSRS20), and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage (@monkeycageblog), a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post. … More Bonus: Laura Seay’s review of “From Pews to Politics”

This week’s news wrap featured discussions about recent election updates in Burundi and Benin, leadership changes in Lesotho, and more news regarding summer bonus content! In this episode, we highlight a panel discussion from an event with the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Our very own cohost, Kim Yi Dionne, was a part … More Ep. 93: A conversation with Kim Yi Dionne and Ken Opalo about the politics and policy of the COVID-19 pandemic and more

The news wrap for this week’s episode offers insights into legislative elections in Mali, COVID and politics in Malawi, and more. This week, we highlight a panel conversation with entrepreneurs from the Africa Summit at Princeton University on the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation was hosted by Bayo Okusanya, … More Ep92. A conversation with entrepreneurs on the continent about innovation, COVID, and more.

The news wrap in this week's episode offers tribute to Malawian economist and thinker Thandika Mkandawire, discusses COVID-19's economic impacts, and more.

This week’s conversation is with Peace Medie (@PeaceMedie), a Senior Lecturer in Gender and International Politics at the University of Bristol. Her research examines gender, politics, and conflict in Africa. During a conversation we recorded at the African Studies Association annual meeting, we talk about campaigns to end gender-based violence, writing both academic research and fiction, the ethics of research in African politics, and more. During that chat, we talk about what she found when researching her newly published book, Global Norms and Local Action: The Campaigns to End Violence against Women in Africa and we talk about her forthcoming debut novel, His Only Wife, which listeners can pre-order now. Her segment begins at 9:28.

As a content note to our listeners, our conversation touches on Peace's research, which includes women's reporting of sexual violence and rape to the police. … More Ep91. A conversation with Peace Medie about gender and conflict in Africa, writing research and fiction, and more

We start this week's episode discussing the swarm of locusts wreaking havoc in East Africa, how COVID-19 will push the African region into its first recession in a quarter century, and the long term consequences of the pandemic for democracy and rights.

Our featured guest this week is Dr. George Ogola (@Ogolah), a scholar of media in the global south at the University of Central Lancashire's School of Journalism, Media, and Performance. Kim and George discuss African media coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, the media's role in checking political power, and the "pockets of indiscipline" where citizens can access quality reporting that has evaded state power. His segment begins at 11:53. … More Ep90. A conversation with George Ogola about African media, unchecked political power, and more

This week's brief episode focuses on what our hosts -- Kim Yi Dionne and Rachel Beatty Riedl -- are reading and learning related to the COVID-19 pandemic and responses by African governments. There is a lot that has already been written and we share what we think are some important questions and arguments that we as scholars of pandemics and authoritarian politics think our listeners should be thinking about.

Did we miss something important? Email us your ideas for episodes that will expand our audience's understanding of African citizens and states navigating this pandemic. … More Ep89. Ufahamu Africa hosts discuss African government responses to COVID-19

On this week's news update, Kim and Rachel discuss Nigeria's first Coronavirus patient, the downward trend of Ebola, and elections in Cote d'Ivoire.

At the African Studies Association Annual Meeting in Boston this past fall, Kim met with Nic Cheeseman (@Fromagehomme) to discuss his latest book and other topics, such as presidential succession in Uganda. Nic is a professor of democracy and international development at the University of Birmingham, and he was the former African Studies Centre Director for Oxford University.

He specializes in elections and democracy, doing field work in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Ghana, just to name a few. A frequent commentator on global issues regarding Africa, Nic's words have appeared in Foreign Policy, the New York Times, and many other renowned publications. … More Ep88. A talk with Nic Cheeseman about his latest book, Uganda, and much more

This week's episode has a brief newswrap because co-host Rachel Beatty Riedl had to phone in from Morocco. We quickly cover the World Bank-African Development Bank spat, the plague of locusts in East Africa, and more.

This week’s conversation is with Marja Hinfelaar, Director of Research and Programs at the Southern African Institute for Policy and Research (SAIPAR) in Lusaka, Zambia. Marja received her PhD in History in 2001 from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, and her dissertation focused on the history of women’s organizations in Zimbabwe. She is the co-editor of One Zambia, Many Histories and Democracy and Electoral Politics in Zambia. Rachel spoke with Marja when she was in Zambia earlier this year. They discuss Zambian politics, environment and energy, religious and traditional leaders, and more. Their conversation begins at 9:56. … More Ep87. A conversation with Marja Hinfelaar on Zambian politics, environment and energy, and more

[FRENCH VERSION] In our second episode this Black History Month, Rachel speaks with Moïses WIlliams Pokam Kamdem, a lecturer and research at the University of Dschang and a fellow at the Institute of Advanced Study in Nantes, France. They talk about Africa's energy sector, Cameroon's political history, and more. Their conversation begins at 14:01.

Our news wrap covers the recent court ruling in Malawi nullifying the presidential election, the US travel restrictions imposed on Nigerians, the NYT photographic retrospective and collection of essays on 60 years of African independence, and more. … More Ep86f. A conversation with Moïses Williams Pokam Kamdem about Africa’s energy sector, Cameroon’s political history, and more [FRENCH VERSION]

In our second episode this Black History Month, Rachel speaks with Moïses WIlliams Pokam Kamdem, a lecturer and research at the University of Dschang and a fellow at the Institute of Advanced Study in Nantes, France. They talk about Africa's energy sector, Cameroon's political history, and more. Their conversation begins at 14:01.

Our news wrap covers the recent court ruling in Malawi nullifying the presidential election, the US travel restrictions imposed on Nigerians, the NYT photographic retrospective and collection of essays on 60 years of African independence, and more. … More Ep86. A conversation with Moïses Williams Pokam Kamdem about Africa’s energy sector, Cameroon’s political history, and more

In this week’s episode, Kim sat down with Jennifer Hart, an associate professor of History at Wayne State University, at the African Studies Association Annual Meeting to talk about her latest projects in transportation. From her book, Ghana on the Go, to digital humanities, Kim and Jennifer discuss a wide range of topics during their … More Ep85. A conversation Jennifer Hart on transportation, digital humanities, and more

To commemorate Lunar New Year, this week's episode focuses on China-Africa relations. In the news wrap, we talk about China-Africa trade, some recommended reads and a podcast on China-Africa, as well as Russia-Africa relations, reports of an extended US travel ban for some African countries, Isabel Dos Santos's Angolan assets seizure, and more. Our featured conversation is with Jamie Monson (@jmonson1), Professor of History and Director of the African Studies Center at Michigan State University (@MSUAfrica). Her research focuses on Chinese development assistance to Africa. She is a specialist on the TAZARA railway, a development project built in Tanzania and Zambia with Chinese development cooperation in the 1970s. We talk about her book, Africa’s Freedom Railway: How a Chinese Development Project Changed Lives and Livelihoods in Tanzania, and her related documentary, TAZARA stories. The new documentary film relies on oral history interviews to share people’s experiences with the introduction of the TAZARA railway. We also talk about seeing technology from the user's perspective and inequalities in academic partnerships across regions. The segment with Jamie Monson begins at 13:42. … More Ep84. A Lunar New Year conversation with Jamie Monson on China-Africa relations, seeing technology from the user perspective, and more

We begin this week's news wrap with a discussion of some of the best literature of the decade - thanks to a curated list by African Arguments - and we are extremely fortunate to feature one of these authors in this episode, Yvonne Owuor. Kim and Rachel also chat about films, China in Africa, cocoa price coordination in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, and a call for applicants to the next meeting of the Working Group in African Political Economy.Yvonne Owuor is an acclaimed author, winning the Caine Prize for African Writing in 2003 for her short story, The Weight of Whispers, and short-listed for the Folio Prize for her novel Dust (2014). She has recently published a beautiful coming-of-age story, The Dragonfly Sea (2019), that explores aspects of East African sea imagination in a time of China's return to its milieu. Owuor received the (Kenya) Head of State Commendation in 2016 for her cultural and artistic contributions. Rachel sat down with Yvonne at the Institute for Advanced Study in Nantes, where they are both Fellows, to discuss literary journeys, the "development industry," Kenyan politics, and a global, historical, and encompassing view on transregional exchange. Our featured segment with Yvonne begins at 11:22. … More Ep83. A conversation with Yvonne Owuor on development, politics, storytelling, and more

[FRENCH VERSION] Welcome back, Ufahamu Africa listeners! Kim and Rachel begin this week’s episode discussing the news, opening up with developments with the franc CFA, some excellent reporting on Ebola in DRC, security in the Sahel, and more.This week’s guest is Kako Nubukpo (@kakonubukpo), a Senior Research Fellow at the Agricultural Research Centre of International Development (CIRAD) in Paris and currently a fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Nantes. He was formerly a minister in Togo for long-term planning. For this week’s interview, he and Rachel spoke about the franc CFA and what proposed changes (some of which have since their interview come to fore) could mean for West African countries. They also use the occasion of Togo’s upcoming elections to talk about elections, development, and agriculture more broadly. Their conversation was recorded in French. Their segment begins at 11:44. … More Ep82f. A conversation with Kako Nubukpo on the franc CFA, development, elections, and more [FRENCH VERSION]

In the newswrap this week, we talk about Ethiopian politics, Zambia's third term debate, elections in Namibia, and more.This week is another African podcast mashup special — featuring a conversation with Ufahamu Africa's own Kim Yi Dionne (@dadakim) in commemoration of World AIDS Day this weekend. Kim is a professor of political science at UC Riverside and an editor of The Monkey Cage, a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post. She is also the author of Doomed Interventions: The Failure of Global Responses to AIDS in Africa, published by Cambridge University Press in 2018. This week's conversation with Kim is shared courtesy of the Africa Past and Present Podcast, hosted by Michigan State University historian Peter Alegi (@futbolprof), who was a guest on Ufahamu Africa in Episode 3. Peter talks to Kim about her book on AIDS in Africa, the role of village headmen in AIDS interventions, what turns Malawians out to vote, podcasting, and more. Their segment begins at 9:11. … More Ep81. Another Africa Podcast Mashup: Kim Yi Dionne on AIDS interventions in Africa, podcasting, and more

This week's episode begins with congratulations to Rachel Beatty Riedl and her co-author Gwyneth McClendon on the publication of their book, From Pews to Politics: Religious Sermons and Political Participation in Africa. What perfect timing, given this week's episode features a conversation with Father Emmanuel Katongole, Professor of Theology and Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame. The news wrap also covers events in Burkina Faso and Gambia, Ugandan opposition parliamentarian Bobi Wine's visit to the US, and a shoutout to TJ Tallie for his book being published this week, too!This week's episode includes the first interview by Ufahamu Africa's research and production fellow, Zamone Perez, an undergraduate student at Northwestern University. Zamone talks with Professor Katongole about his book, The Sacrifice of Africa: A Political Theology for Africa. The conversation covers broad territory on religion as offering social and political organizing principles as well as specifics, e.g., on forgiveness of the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army Joseph Kony. Their conversation begins at 15:17. … More Ep80. A conversation with Emmanuel Katongole on a political theology for Africa

In the newswrap this week, we talk about Nigeria fact-checking, Botswana's elections, terrorist attacks in West Africa, and more. This week's featured conversation is with Ken Opalo (@kopalo), an Assistant Professor at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He talks about his newly published book, Legislative Development in Africa: Politics and Postcolonial Legacies. Long-time listeners might recall that Ken was on the show back in 2017, ahead of the Kenyan elections. Have a listen to Rachel’s conversation with Ken about his book and about his next project, which examines government provision of public goods, like health services. Their conversation begins at 13:36. … More Ep79. A conversation with Ken Opalo about political institutions, public goods, and more

We start this week's newswrap talking about Russian interference in African elections using Facebook, Rose Mutiso's TED talk about energy poverty in Africa, identification card politics in northeastern Nigeria, and more.Our guest this week is Kathleen Klaus (@KathleenKlaus), an assistant professor of politics at the University of San Francisco. Her book, Political Violence in Kenya: Land, Elections, and Claim-Making, is in production at Cambridge University Press, expected to be published in 2020. Kathleen’s award-winning research has focused on land rights and political violence and Ufahamu Africa listeners may remember that she was our guest in Episode 28, helping us to understand the then recently announced decision by the Kenyan Supreme Court to nullify the 2017 presidential elections. Rachel sat down with Kathleen when she was at Cornell University earlier this month presenting some of her new research on refugee settlement and the politics of land in Uganda. Their conversation begins at 13:11. … More Ep78. A conversation with Kathleen Klaus on land and politics in East Africa and beyond

This week's episode opens up with discussion about the recent elections in Botswana and Mozambique, the anti-sanctions protests in Zimbabwe, post-peace prize Ethiopia, and more. Co-host Rachel Beatty Riedl moderates this week's conversation on agriculture and innovation in Africa. Our guests are Kudzai Kutukwa, Kitso Dube, and Andrew Dillon. Kudzai and Kitso were YALI Mandela Fellows at Northwestern University earlier this year, when this conversation was recorded.Kudzai is the co-founder and CEO of Mobbisurance, which is a startup that develops multi-based crop insurance products and other financial services for small-holder farmers. Kitso currently serves as a loan officer for FBC Holdings, helping communities that are marginalized access financial services in Zimbabwe. Andrew is a development economist, appointed as a Clinical Associate Professor within the Kellogg School of Management’s Public-Private Interface Initiative and a Research Associate Professor in the Global Poverty Research Lab at the Buffett Institute. The panel discussion begins at 12:36. … More Ep77. A conversation on agriculture and innovation in Africa with YALI Mandela Fellows

We start this week's newswrap celebrating Kenyan marathoners, highlighting recent arts and culture pieces in OkayAfrica, talking about elections in Mozambique, protests in Guinea, and this year's Nobel Prize in Economics winners. This week’s guest is economist Grieve Chelwa, a senior lecturer at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business. Prior to his appointment at UCT, Dr. Chelwa was a post-doctoral fellow with Harvard University’s Center for African Studies, the Southern African Institute for Policy and Research, and the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of the Witwatersrand. In addition to his scholarly work, he is a contributing editor to Africa Is A Country. We talk about economics (including what it means to be a development economist), research and collaboration, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, and more. Our conversation begins at 14:27. … More Ep76. A conversation with Grieve Chelwa on how economics has an Africa problem

Following a news wrap covering Facebook's fact-checking initiative, Tunisia's elections, Malawi's protests, and more, this week's episode features an interview with Richard Banégas, a professor at Sciences Po. He talks with co-host Rachel Beatty Riedl about his research on identity papers, citizenship, and how technological developments are shaping mobility globally. Rachel's conversation with Richard begins at 10:43. … More Ep75. A conversation with Richard Banegas on citizenship, identity cards, and more

Ufahamu Africa is excited to launch its fourth season with a roundtable discussion about mobile money in Africa, its challenges, opportunities, and potential for social and political transformation. Co-host Rachel Beatty Riedl moderates the conversation with three Mandela Washington Fellows who participated in the Young African Leaders Initiative at Northwestern University earlier this year: Patton Kalunga of Zambia, Amadou Abdoulaye Sylla of Senegal, and Ngah Tse Ngah Benoit of Cameroon. Rachel and co-host Kim Dionne open the episode catching up on news in southern Africa, including protests in Malawi, xenophobic attacks in South Africa, and the death of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe. They also talk about new research that listeners should check out and they share congratulatory messages for some of Ufahamu Africa's earlier guests. … More Ep74. A conversation with Mandela Fellows from Zambia, Senegal, and Cameroon on mobile money’s challenges and opportunities

In this bonus recording, hear Ufahamu Africa host Kim Dionne read her review of Erin Accampo Hern’s “Developing States, Shaping Citizenship.” The review was published as the twelfth and final installment of the African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular, and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage, a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post. … More Bonus: A review of Erin Hern’s book on public service provision and political participation

In this bonus recording, hear Ufahamu Africa host Kim Dionne read University of Cincinnati professor Alex Thurston’s review of John Campbell and Matthew Page’s “Nigeria: What Everyone Needs to Know,” Brandon Kendhammer and Carmen McCain’s “Boko Haram,” and Carl LeVan’s “Contemporary Nigerian Politics.” The review was published as the eleventh installment of the African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular, and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage, a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post. … More Bonus: Hear a review of three new books on power and politics in Nigeria

In this bonus recording, hear Ufahamu Africa host Kim Dionne read a Q&A between TMC editor Laura Seay and Elizabeth Foster, author of African Catholic: Decolonization and the Transformation of the Church. The Q&A was published in this past Friday’s installment of the African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular, and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage, a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post. … More Bonus: An author Q&A with Elizabeth Foster on her new book, African Catholic

In this bonus recording, hear Ufahamu Africa host Kim Dionne read her review of Electoral Politics in Africa Since 1990, a book by Jaimie Bleck and Nicolas van de Walle. The review was published in this past Friday’s installment of the African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular, and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage, a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post. … More Bonus: A review of Bleck and van de Walle’s book on electoral politics in Africa

In this bonus recording, hear Ufahamu Africa host Kim Dionne read Laura Seay’s review of First Raise a Flag, a book about why South Sudan won the war but lost the peace by author and journalist Peter Martell. The review was published in this past Friday’s installment of the African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular, and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage, a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post. … More Bonus: A review of Peter Martell’s new book on South Sudan

Have a listen to this week’s review of Nanjala Nyabola’s (@Nanjala1) Digital Democracy Analogue Politics, published by Zed Books (@ZedBooks). The review was published on Friday as part of the African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular (#APSRS19), and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage (@monkeycageblog), a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post. … More Bonus: A review of Nanjala Nyabola’s book on Kenyan politics in the digital age

In this bonus recording, hear Ufahamu Africa host Kim Dionne read her review of Amílcar Cabral: A Nationalist and Pan-Africanist Revolutionary, a biography by Peter Karibe Mendy, published by Ohio University Press.The review was published in this past Friday’s installment of the African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular (#APSRS19), and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage (@monkeycageblog), a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post. … More Bonus: Kim Dionne’s TMC review of Peter Mendy’s book, Amílcar Cabral

As they celebrate the end of the academic year in North America -- and their first as co-hosts -- have a listen to Kim Yi Dionne and Rachel Beatty Riedl talk about what ideas they have in store for next season. … More Episode 73: (North American) Summer is here!

In this bonus recording, hear Ufahamu Africa host Kim Dionne read her review of Always Another Country, a memoir by South African writer Sisonke Msimang. The review was published in this past Friday’s installment of the African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular, and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage, a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post. … More Bonus: Kim Dionne’s TMC review of Sisonke Msimang’s book, Always Another Country

In this week's episode, we start with news about LGBTQ rights in Botswana, Russian interference in African countries' domestic politics, and east African governments announcing increased spending on infrastructure. We also mention the upcoming book launch for Jeffrey Paller and Noah Nathan's respective books at CDD-Ghana on June 19th.This week’s conversation is with Susanna Wing, associate professor of political science at Haverford College. She is author of the award-winning book, Constructing Democracy in Transitioning Societies of Africa: Constitutionalism and Deliberation in Mali, that was later published in paperback in 2010 as Constructing Democracy in Africa: Mali in Transition. Earlier this week Susanna wrote a helpful explainer piece about the recent violence and instability in Mali, which we talk about in this week's episode. Our conversation begins at 11:11. … More Ep72. A conversation with Susanna Wing on intergroup violence and instability in Mali

In this bonus recording, hear Ufahamu Africa host Kim Dionne read Laura Seay's review of Love Does Not Win Elections, a memoir by Ayisha Osori. The review was published in this past Friday's installment of the African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular, and this recording is being shared as part of a collaboration with The Monkey Cage, a blog on politics and political science at The Washington Post. … More Bonus: Laura Seay’s TMC review of Ayisha Osori’s book, Love Does Not Win Elections

We begin this week’s episode announcing an exciting collaboration with The Monkey Cage to feature bonus content each Monday morning -- a weekly reading of a book review from TMC’s African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular. The news we cover this week includes recent events in Sudan, Kehinde Wiley’s artist residency in Dakar, a nuclear project irradiating tsetse flies, and more.Our featured conversation is with Erin Pettigrew, an assistant professor of History and Arab Crossroads Studies at NYU Abu Dhabi. Her research focuses on 19th and 20th century West Africa and histories of Islam, race, and healing in colonial and postcolonial contexts. Their conversation touches on how people deal with change over time, including practices involving the spiritual realm, which draws on what Erin learned in working on her exciting book project, To Invoke the Invisible: Islam, Spiritual Mediation, and Social Change in the Sahara. They also talk about Erin’s next book project on the history of a leftist political movement in Mauritania. Their conversation begins at 11:01. … More Ep71. A conversation with Erin Pettigrew on Muslim spiritual mediators, locally relevant research, and more

In this week's episode, we talk about Malawi's elections, the passing of Binyavanga Wainaina, and ethnic violence and displacement in Ethiopia. Our featured conversation is with Ato Kwamena Onoma, a political scientist currently serving as a senior program officer at the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa. He is also the author of two books, Anti-Refugee Violence and African Politics and The Politics of Property Rights Institutions in Africa, both published by Cambridge University Press. His segment begins at 13:06. … More Ep70. A conversation with Ato Kwamena Onoma on property rights, refugees, and more

We start this week’s conversation with an update on the South African elections, but turn our focus to Malawi, which is scheduled to hold elections on Tuesday. We also talk about Facebook and fake news in African elections.Our featured conversation is with with Dr. Boniface Dulani (@bonidulani), a Senior Lecturer in Political Science at the University of Malawi, the fieldwork operations manager for Afrobarometer and senior partner of the Institute of Public Opinion and Research in Malawi. He shares his expertise on Malawian politics, especially with respect to the coming elections. Our conversation with him begins at 14:47. … More Ep69. A conversation with Boniface Dulani on Malawi’s elections, chieftaincy, and more

We start out episode this week talking about politics in Mali, South Africa’s recent election and give you an update on the political situation in Uganda. We talk about the arrest earlier this week in Kenya of Boniface Mwangi, who we spoke with on our podcast during episode 35. This week’s conversation is with Dr. … More Ep.68 A conversation with Maggie Dwyer about army mutinies in Africa, and more.

Our show this week begins with the elections in Benin, peacekeeping in Liberia, elections in South Africa and Malawi, and the Caster Semenya gender and racing saga. We also share an update on Ugandan musician-turned-politician Bobi Wine.This week’s in-depth conversation is really special: it features a mashup of four podcasts: Ufahamu Africa, On Africa, Into Africa, and African Tech Roundup. The hosts of all four shows come together to talk about a few things, including why we launched our respective shows. In addition to Ufahamu Africa's hosts Kim Yi Dionne and Rachel Beatty Riedl, you'll hear Travis Adkins (@TravisLAdkins), adjunct professor at Georgetown University in African Studies and Security Studies and the host of On Africa; Judd Devermont (@JDevermont), the director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and host of Into Africa, and Andile Masuku (@MasukuAndile), a Zimbabwean broadcaster and entrepreneur based in Johannesburg, South Africa and host of African Tech Roundup. We all owe a big thanks to Judd and his team at CSIS for hosting this mashup, which begins at 12:55. … More Ep67. An Africa podcast mashup

We begin this week's episode talking about Benin politics, a Malawian musician, the deployment of a malaria vaccine, a Russian company's involvement in Sudan's response to protesters, and the 25th anniversary of South Africa's elections ending the Apartheid regime.This week we feature a conversation with Abdourahmane Seck, an anthropologist and historian at the Faculty of Civilizations, Religions, Arts and Communication at the Université Gaston Berger in Saint-Louis, Senegal. Dr. Seck is the author of several works on Islam and south-south migration. He is currently a visiting scholar in the Institute for the Study of Islamic Thought in Africa, part of the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs at Northwestern University. His conversation begins at 15:13. … More Ep66. A conversation with Abdourahmane seck on Islam, modernity, and more

We start our episode this week talking about recent pieces on Sudan published in The Monkey Cage, the row between Uganda and Rwanda, African migrants stuck in Mexico, and the latest on events in Mali. This week's conversation is with Jeffrey Paller (@JWPaller), an assistant professor of politics at the University of San Francisco. He was formerly a fellow at the Earth Institute at Columbia University and a Research Associate at the Center for Democratic Development in Ghana. Our listeners might be familiar with Jeffrey's weekly news bulletin, This Week in Africa. We spoke with him about his new book, published this week, Democracy in Ghana: Everyday Politics in Urban Africa. Our conversation with Jeffrey begins at 10:34. … More Ep65. A conversation with Jeffrey Paller on urban politics, democracy in Ghana, and more

In this week's episode, we talk about Saharan Futures, protests and political change in Sudan, political maneuvering in Senegal, and what Cyclone Idai teaches us about governance of disasters and in urban spaces.Our featured guest this week is Hannah Armstrong, the Senior Sahel consultant at the International Crisis Group. She has worked across North Africa and the Sahel as a writer and researcher for various publications and organizations since 2006. She served as a Fulbright fellow in Morocco and as a fellow of the Institute of Current World Affairs in Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Algeria, and the Western Sahara from 2012 to 2014. Rachel spoke with Hannah earlier this week when she was visiting Chicago from Dakar, where she is based. Their conversation begins at 13:03. … More Ep64. A conversation with Hannah Armstrong on politics in Algeria, the Sahel, illicit trafficking and borders

We begin this week's episode talking about the resignation of Algerian president Bouteflika, mistrust challenging response to the Ebola outbreak in Eastern Congo, and we mark the 25th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. This week’s conversation is with Muna Ndulo, the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of International & Comparative Law at Cornell Law School. Professor Ndulo is an expert on constitution making, governance and institution building, international criminal law, African legal systems, and human rights. Rachel sat down with Prof Ndulo and asked him about international financial transparency, investment vs. insurgency in Northern Mozambique, the role of the judiciary in African elections, and the confrontation of customary law and gender equality in the colonial and contemporary periods. Their segment begins at 12:16. … More Ep63. A conversation with Muna Ndulo on international financial transparency, investment vs. insurgency, and more

It may not be spring in the southern hemisphere, but up here in North America, Ufahamu Africa’s hosts are on Spring Break. Don’t worry, we’ll be back next week, when we talk about politics in Algeria, Ebola in DRC, and more. Our guest next week will be Muna Ndulo.

We begin this week's episode discussing protests and democracy in Benin, the damage from Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, and the consequences of climate change more broadly. Our featured conversation is with Khalid Medani, an Associate Professor of Political Science and Islamic Studies and the Chair of the African Studies Program at McGill University. He has published widely on the on the roots of civil conflict and the funding of the Islamic movement in Sudan, the question of informal finance and terrorism in Somalia, the obstacles to state building in Iraq, and the role of informal networks in the rise of Islamic militancy. He provides insights on the current protests in Sudan and puts them in context. His conversation begins at 10:02. … More Ep62. A conversation with Khalid Medani on protests in Sudan

This week’s episode begins with discussion of events in DRC, Malawi, and Algeria. We also talk about a new study showing how democracy is good for our health.Our featured conversation is with Sally Nuamah, an assistant professor at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. Her research sits at the intersections of race, gender, public education and political behavior. She made the award-winning film, HerStory. We talk with Sally about her first book, How Girls Achieve, released this week by Harvard University Press. Our conversation begins at 10:53. … More Ep61. A conversation with Sally Nuamah on girls’ education

This week's episode kicks off Women's History Month and celebrates International Women's Day, starting with a conversation about women's protest participation in Algeria and women's representation in politics in Africa more broadly. We also highlight critiques of the theme for International Women's Day 2019: #BalanceForBetter.Our conversation is with Professor Nyokabi Kamau, who is the Executive Director of the Centre for Parliamentary Studies and Training in Kenya. The conversation was part of a global salon hosted at the Lewis Global Studies Center in 2018 and was facilitated by Smith College Professor of Comparative Literature Katwiwa Mule. They talk about Kamau's new book, Conversations about Gender: The Reflections of a Kenyan Feminist. Her segment begins at 12:31. … More Ep60. A conversation with Nyokabi Kamau on feminism in Kenya

This week's episode features a lot of discussion on North Africa. In the news wrap, we cover the protests in Algeria and Sudan (as well as election results in Senegal and Nigeria). Our featured conversation for this week's episode is with Matt Buehler, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Tennessee and Global Security Fellow at the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy. Matt talks about his new book, Why Alliances Fail: Islamist and Leftist Coalitions in North Africa. … More Ep59. A conversation with Matt Buehler on how governments spoil opposition alliances in North Africa

This week's conversation is with Wendell Marsh (@theafrabian), an Assistant Professor of African American and African Studies at Rutgers University-Newark and Postdoctoral Fellow at the Buffet Institute for Global Studies at Northwestern University. He conducts research and teaches on the encounter of Islam and the African world as mediated in Arabic and vernacular texts. His segment begins at 12:21. … More Ep58. A conversation with Wendell Marsh on the history (and modernity) of Islam and the African world

Nigeria's elections have been postponed, but that didn't keep us from sharing our insightful conversation with Nicholas Kerr this week. Nicholas is an assistant professor of comparative politics in the Department of Political Science at the University of Florida. We talk about his research on electoral management bodies in Africa and in particular about his research on election management and popular perceptions of election quality in Nigeria. Our conversation begins at 10:06. … More Ep57. A conversation with Nicholas Kerr about Nigerian elections, citizens’ opinions about election quality, and more

This week's episode opens with a conversation about increasing authoritarianism in Tanzania, the shutdown of an independent newspaper's website in Uganda, fake news ahead of the Nigerian elections, and more. For this week's conversation, Rachel spoke with Dr. Anta Sané and Dr. Ndongo Samba Sylla about the upcoming elections in Senegal. … More Ep56. A conversation with Dr. Anta Sané and Dr. Ndongo Symba Sylla about the Senegalese elections

In this week’s episode, we speak with Ashley Currier, Professor of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Cincinnati. We asked her about her new book, Politicizing Sex in Contemporary Africa: Homophobia in Malawi. Her first book, Out in Africa: LGBT Organizing in Namibia and South Africa, was a finalist for a 2013 Lambda Literary Book Award. Our conversation begins at 9:44. … More Ep55. A conversation with Ashley Currier on LGBTQ organizing in Africa

This week's episode begins with conversation about the Congolese elections, Laurent Gbagbo's acquittal in the International Criminal Court, and political jostling between the president and deputy president in Kenya. Our guest this week is Jaimie Bleck, an Associate Professor of Political Science and Faculty Fellow at the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame. In this week’s episode, we talk about her latest book, written with Nicolas van de Walle, Electoral Politics in Africa Since 1990: Continuity in Change. From her new book, we learn about common trends among African candidates, African voters' priorities, and the issues candidates campaign on in African elections. She also tells us about an exciting project she worked on with Malian musicians live-scoring a silent film, "The Passion of Joan of Arc" at Notre Dame. Tune in to her segment at 9:09. … More Ep54. A conversation with Jaimie Bleck on elections in Africa, music in Mali, and more

This week's episode begins with a discussion of protests and repression in Zimbabwe, the terror attack in Nairobi, Kenya, Senegal's upcoming election, and the re-launch of the Africa Online Digital Library. Our guest this week is Beth Whitaker, an associate professor of political science at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. Her research examines migration and security issues in Africa. We spoke with her about her new book, Africa’s International Relations: Balancing Domestic and Global Interests during the annual meeting of the African Studies Association in Atlanta, Georgia in November 2018. Some topics we cover include diaspora voting (especially in Kenya) and refugees. Our conversation begins at 10:25. … More Ep53. A conversation with Beth Whitaker on Africa’s international relations

This week's episode begins with discussion over the contested elections and recent result announcement in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and a coup attempt by junior military officers in Gabon.Our episode features a conversation with Matthew Page (@MatthewTPage), an associate fellow at Chatham House and formerly the U.S. intelligence community’s top Nigeria expert. Along with Ambassador John Campbell (@JohnCampbellcfr), Matthew wrote the new Oxford University Press book, Nigeria: What Everyone Needs to Know. We chatted with Matthew about their book and about Nigeria’s elections next month. His segment begins at 11:16. … More Ep52. A conversation with Matthew Page on the upcoming Nigerian elections

We begin this week's episode with a conversation about elections slated for 2019, and important developments in the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We also talk about current protests in Senegal and Sudan, which suits our conversation with this week's guest, Lisa Mueller, an assistant professor of political science at Macalester College in Saint Paul Minnesota. Lisa is the author of a new book published by Cambridge University Press: Political Protest in Contemporary Africa. Kim spoke with her at the annual meeting of the African Studies Association in Atlanta, Georgia in November 2018. Her segment begins at 8:32. … More Ep51. A conversation with Lisa Mueller on protests in Africa

In this week's episode of Ufahamu Africa, we do our first-ever year-end reflection. We start with what we can learn from broader trends on the continent in 2018. We also share some of our favorite books we read this year and give a sneak peek at some of the guests we'll feature in 2019 -- as well as the elections we'll be watching. Bonus: we talk about art exhibits in Chicago and LA that we both plan to see very soon. … More Ep50. Reflections on 2018 and a sneak peek into 2019

In this week's episode we talk about elections in Madagascar, Togo, and especially the Democratic Republic of Congo. Our guest is Laura Seay (@texasinafrica), a political scientist at Colby College and an expert on Congolese politics. She offers some background for our listeners on the delayed elections in Congo that are now scheduled to be held on December 30. Laura also talks about her latest creation, "2 Minute African Politics," an Instagram feed that covers the main issues and debates she teaches in her African Politics course. Rachel's conversation with Laura, recorded at the African Studies Association, begins at 8:55. … More Ep49. A conversation with Laura Seay on the upcoming DRC elections and “2 minute African Politics”

In this week's episode, we talk about Google's top search items in African countries in 2018, how Kenyans did in the Singapore marathon, Trump's new Africa policy, and more. Our featured conversation is with Boston University political scientist Michael Woldemariam (@MikeWoldemariam), who shares his expertise on the Horn of Africa region, where he has conducted extensive fieldwork. He is the author of a new book published earlier this year by Cambridge University Press, Insurgent Fragmentation in the Horn of Africa: Rebellion and Its Discontents. We spoke with Mike a couple of weeks ago at the annual meeting of the African Studies Association and we thank the ASA for making their ASAPOD booth available to us for this interview. His segment begins at 7:58. … More Ep48. A conversation with Michael Woldemariam on the political shakeup in the Horn of Africa

Don't miss our first episode featuring an interview conducted at the African Studies Association annual meeting last week. We chat with George Bob-Milliar and Lauren MacLean about recent student protests at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), where George is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History and Political Studies. Lauren was on campus during the protests visiting Ghana for research; she is the Arthur F. Bentley Chair and Professor of political science at Indiana University at Bloomington. In addition to telling the story of how the KNUST protests unfolded and the grievances students had that led to the protests, George and Lauren talk more broadly about what the protests (and state response) mean for academic freedom, democracy in Ghana, and more. Their segment begins at 6:51. … More Ep47. A conversation with George Bob-Milliar and Lauren MacLean about student protests at KNUST in Ghana

For the first time ever, Kim and Rachel are together to record this week's episode, which includes a conversation with Northwestern University's Evan Mwangi. Professor Mwangi talks about his most recent book, Translation in African Contexts, and the debates about literature in African languages. He also tells us about his next book, which will be about animals in African literature. … More Ep46. A conversation with Evan Mwangi on translations, literature in African languages, and more

In this week's episode, we talk about conflict in Cameroon, work by the writer Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, land restitution in South Africa, and Nanjala Nyabola's new book. This week's featured conversation is with Abdulbasit Kassim, who visited Northwestern University’s Institute for the Study of Islamic Thought in Africa earlier this week. Kassim is a PhD student in the Department of Religion at Rice University, where his research focuses on the Intellectual History of Islam in Africa, Contemporary Islamic Movements in Africa, Postcolonial African States, African Religions, and the International Relations of Sub-Saharan Africa. He is the co-editor of The Boko Haram Reader: From Nigerian Preachers to the Islamic State. The Boko Haram Reader is an unprecedented collection of primary source texts, audio-visuals, and nashids translated into English from Hausa, Arabic, and Kanuri. It traces the history and evolution of the Boko Haram movement. Kassim's segment begins at 5:53. … More Ep45. A conversation with Abdulbasit Kassim on religion, Boko Haram, and more

In this episode of Ufahamu Africa, we talk about a new West African currency, media freedom in Tanzania, and an Ethiopian satellite that will launch soon. This week's featured conversation is with Dr. Anthonia Kalu, a professor of comparative literature and gender and sexuality studies at UC Riverside. In our chat we talk about kola nuts, cross-cultural digital possibilities, writing, and African storytelling. Her interview begins at 6:44. … More Ep44. A conversation with Anthonia Kalu on writing and African storytelling

Welcome back to Ufahamu Africa. This week's episode is the first in Season 3. We are excited to announce a new co-host, Rachel Beatty Riedl (@BeattyRiedl), an associate professor of political science and director of the Program of African Studies at Northwestern University. We've also brought back the weekly roundup of things we're learning and reading about the continent to open the episode.This week's episode features a conversation with Jennifer Kyker, an associate professor of music and of ethnomusicology at the University of Rochester. We talk about the mbira, an instrument you'll hear featured in this week’s episode. Kyker is the author of a book on popular music in postcolonial Zimbabwe, Oliver Mtukudzi: Living Tuku Music in Zimbabwe, published by Indiana University Press. Our chat begins at 6:44. … More Ep43. A conversation with Jennifer Kyker about the mbira, gender, and more

This week's episode features Petina Gappah, a writer and international lawyer from Zimbabwe. Thanks to the efforts of Chipo Dendere, Petina visited the Five Colleges earlier this year and we had a chance to sit down and talk. In addition to chatting about her forthcoming historical novel on David Livingstone's companions, we talk about Gappah’s award-winning book The Book of Memory, and her two collections of short stories, An Elegy for Easterly and Rotten Row. In our conversation, she shares why she became a writer and her approach to writing. … More Ep42. A conversation with author Petina Gappah on politics, writing, and more

In our second episode during Black History Month, I chat another historian of Africa: Jennifer Tappan, Associate Professor of African History at Portland State University. Her research focuses on the history of medicine and health. This week we talk about her book, The Riddle of Malnutrition: The Long Arc of Biomedical and Public Health Interventions in Uganda. We also talk about a new project she’s started on the history of yellow fever in Africa. … More Ep41. A conversation with Jennifer Tappan about health and medicine in African history

To kick off Black History Month, this week’s episode features a conversation with historian Abou Bamba (@bambaab1), a professor at Gettysburg College, where he teaches courses in Africana Studies and History. We chat about his book, African Miracle African Mirage, which was published by Ohio University Press. … More Ep40. A conversation with Abou Bamba on Françafrique, the Ivorian miracle, and more

This week's episode features a conversation with Omolade Adunbi (@LadeAdunbi), a political anthropologist and associate professor at the University of Michigan in the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies. We talk about his award-winning book, Oil Wealth and Insurgency in Nigeria, which was published by Indiana University Press in 2015. … More Ep39. A conversation with Lade Adunbi about oil wealth and cooperation in Nigeria

This week’s episode features a conversation with Cajetan Iheka (@profiheka), an assistant professor of English at the University of Alabama. Iheka’s research and teaching focus on African and Caribbean literatures and film, postcolonial studies, eco-criticism, and world literature. In Episode 38, we talk about his book, Naturalizing Africa: Ecological Violence, Agency, and Postcolonial Resistance in … More Ep38. A conversation with Cajetan Iheka on the environment in African literature

Have a quick listen to hear what our most popular episodes were in Season 1 and what to expect in Season 2.

This week’s episode features a conversation with Dr. George Karekwaivanane (@ghkare). Dr. Karekwaivanane is a lecturer in African Studies at the University of Edinburgh and the author of The Struggle over State Power in Zimbabwe: Law and Politics Since 1950, recently published by Cambridge University Press. I spoke with George last week at the annual meeting of the African Studies Association in Chicago. … More Ep37. A conversation with Dr. George Karekwaivanane on the struggle for power in Zimbabwe

In this week's episode, I chat with Hilary Matfess (@HilaryMatfess), a doctoral student in political science at Yale University, where she studies the intersection of conflict, governance, and gender. In our conversation, we talk about her new book, Women and the War on Boko Haram, which just came out this week. … More Ep36. A conversation with Hilary Matfess on women and Boko Haram

This week’s episode features a conversation with award-winning photojournalist and political activist Boniface Mwangi. Mwangi recently ran to be a member of parliament in Starehe constituency, which is in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city. Thanks to the efforts of friend of the podcast Dr. Chipo Dendere, Mwangi recently visited the Pioneer Valley to give a lecture at Amherst College. While he was here, I sat down with him and asked about his recent campaign for office and about his book, Unbounded, which features stories about his life juxtaposed with a sample of some of his amazing photography. In addition to being sold in Kenya, Unbounded is currently available in the United States via Amazon. Our conversation begins at 2:14. … More Ep35. A conversation with Boniface Mwangi on photography, running for office, and more

In this week’s episode, I chat about the Nigerian Civil War with Judd Devermont, the National Intelligence Officer for Africa at the U.S. National Intelligence Council. He is also a lecturer at George Washington University’s Elliot School of International Affairs. Devermont has worked and lived in Nigeria, South Africa, and Côte d’Ivoire. He holds an MA in African Studies from Yale University and a BA in History from UCLA. He is a guest on Ufahamu Africa in a personal capacity – as a citizen, not as a representative of the U.S. government. We talk about Devermont's recent publication in African Affairs, "The US intelligence community's biases during the Nigerian civil war." Our conversation begins at 2:33. … More Ep34. A conversation with Judd Devermont on Nigeria’s civil war and how analysis can go wrong

This week we chat with Kiara Hill, one of the curators of “5 Takes on African Art,” an exhibition at the University Museum of Contemporary Art (UMCA) at the University of Massachusetts. I talked about the exhibition with Amy Halliday in last week’s episode. Kiara Hill was one of the five curators, her exhibit [WOMB]AN explores the saliency of femininity and womanhood in West African cosmology. Kiara holds an M.A. in Women Studies from the University of Alabama and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Afro-American studies at the University of Massachusetts. Our conversation begins at 3:40. Listen to us talk about gender, power, race, and knowledge production: … More Ep33. A conversation with Kiara Hill on African art, black womanhood, knowledge production, and more

Episode 32 features a conversation with Amy Halliday, director of the Hampshire Gallery at Hampshire College. Amy works at the intersection of curation, education, arts administration and management. She holds an M.A. in Art History from University College London and an M.A. in teaching from Smith College. We talk about contemporary African art and "5 Takes on African Art," an exhibition at the University Museum of Contemporary Art (UMCA) at the University of Massachusetts. Our conversation begins at 2:34. … More Ep32. A conversation with Amy Halliday on contemporary African art

This is the second part of this week's episode, when I chat with Dr. Rose Mutiso (@MutisoRose) and Rachel Strohm (@RachelStrohm), co-founders of the Mawazo Institute, a start-up non-profit research institute in Nairobi, Kenya. You can find Part 1 here. Here is Part 2: … More Ep31-2. Part 2 of a chat with the founders of Mawazo, a research start-up in Nairobi

After an unplanned break, the podcast returns this week, highlighting a new film: Guangzhou Dream Factory. In a conversation with filmmaker Christiane Badgley (@pipelinedreams), we talk about African migrants in China and the missed opportunities in these entrepreneurs' home countries. Much of Badgley's earlier work is set in Africa. In recent years, she has focused her attention on the extractive industries and controversial U.S. investments in West and Central Africa, writing and producing film and new media work for multiple broadcast and online outlets. Guangzhou Dream Factory is Badgley's latest documentary (with producing partner, Erica Marcus), and was made with funding from The National Endowment for the Humanities and The National Endowment for the Arts. Our conversation begins at 4:59. … More Ep30. A conversation with filmmaker Christiane Badgley about Guangzhou Dream Factory

We have to postpone this week’s episode due to illness. BUT — we’re sharing one of our earlier episodes as it relates to a new discovery. There was news this week that the American Museum of Natural History in New York is thought to be holding remains of victims of genocide in what was then … More From the vault: On Namibia’s genocide with Dr. Kavemuii Murangi (Ep.12)

In this week’s episode, we speak with Professor Landry Signé (@LandrySigne), a Distinguished Fellow at Stanford University’s Center for African Studies, founding Chairman of the award-wining Global Network for Africa’s Prosperity, and Professor of Political Science and Senior Adviser to the Chancellor and Provost on International Affairs at the University of Alaska Anchorage. We talk about development in Africa and … More Ep29. A conversation with Professor Landry Signé on development in Africa

In this week’s episode, we speak with Dr. Kathleen Klaus (@KathleenKlaus), Visiting Assistant Professor of Government at Wesleyan University. She earned her PhD at the University of Wisconsin and was recently a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University. Her research examines elections, violence, and land rights and she is currently finishing a book manuscript that draws … More Ep28. A conversation with Dr. Kathleen Klaus on Kenya’s annulled elections and more

This week is a special episode of Ufahamu Africa. Instead of our standard format of catching you up on the week’s news and then featuring a conversation with a thinker, maker, or innovator, we’ve compiled our first-ever Summer Beats Soundtrack. Have a listen to some of the top songs featured in earlier episodes. Here is … More Ep27. Our first ever Summer Beats Soundtrack

In this week’s episode, we speak with Dr. Chipo Dendere of Amherst College. We talk about her work on the politics of emigration out of Zimbabwe as well as protest movements, social media, and the role of money in politics. Music is by Audius. … More Ep26. A conversation with Dr. Chipo Dendere on the politics of exit in Zimbabwe and beyond

In this week’s episode, we speak with Anna Mwaba (@annakapambwe), a PhD candidate at the University of Florida. We talk about her research on the African Union and election monitoring. We also talk about the unintended consequences of political science research on Africa by those of us trained in the West. Our chat begins at … More Ep25. A conversation with Anna Mwaba on the African Union, election monitoring, and more

In this week’s episode, we feature remarks by Dr. Zachariah Mampilly (@Ras_Karya), an Associate Professor of Political Science, International Studies, and Africana Studies at Vassar College. In 2012-2013, he was a Fulbright Visiting Professor at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He is the author of Rebel Rulers: Insurgent Governance and Civilian Life during … More Ep24. Dr. Zachariah Mampilly raises some important questions about studying African Politics in the West

In this week’s episode, we speak with Dr. Kennedy Opalo (@kopalo), an assistant professor at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. His research focuses on the political economy of development, legislative development, and electoral politics in emerging democracies. Ken blogs regularly at his blog, An Africanist Perspective, and currently is writing a … More Ep23. A conversation with Dr. Ken Opalo on the Kenyan elections

We talk this week about the Lesotho elections, which were held on June 3rd. … More Ep22. A conversation with Dr. John Aerni-Flessner on the recent Lesotho elections

In this week’s episode, we speak with Dr. Souleymane Soumahoro (@soumduce), an economist currently consulting at the World Bank. Originally from Côte d’Ivoire, Dr. Soumahoro earned his bachelor of arts degree in political economy from Université Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar, Senegal, his masters in economics at the Université D’Auverge in Clermont-Ferrand, France, and his … More Ep21. A conversation with Dr. Souleymane Soumahoro on development and politics in Africa

In this week’s episode, we speak with Dr. Adia Benton (@Ethnography911), a professor in anthropology and in the Program of African Studies at Northwestern University. In 2015, the University of Minnesota Press published her book, HIV Exceptionalism: Disease through Development in Sierra Leone. We talk about her book and we also discuss the change in leadership at … More Ep20. A conversation with Dr. Adia Benton on global health, Ebola as a ‘charismatic disease,’ and more

In our final week recording together (before Sarah Agatoni, Smith College Class of 2017, graduates), we take a moment to reflect on the year we’ve spent together and what we have hoped to do with the Ufahamu Africa podcast. We talk about identity, community, and studying/understanding Africa from afar. Here are bonus links to this … More Ep19. A farewell conversation with Sarah Agatoni on identity, community, and more

This week’s episode features a Q&A with Nicole Amarteifio (@AllThingsAfrica), creator of the hit web series “An African City.” We talk about the show as well as a new TV show she’s created — “The Republic,” a political thriller set in Ghana’s capital Accra. We also talk about a recent public service announcement she created, #HowShortWasYourSkirt, which addresses … More Ep18. A conversation with Nicole Amarteifio, creator of ‘An African City’

This week’s episode features two conversations about recently published books on African politics. First, I chat with Dr. Rachel Beatty Riedl (@BeattyRiedl), Associate Professor of Political Science at Northwestern University. Her award-winning book, Authoritarian Origins of Party Systems in Africa, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2014. Our conversation begins at 3:30. My second conversation is with Dr. Jennifer … More Ep17. Conversations with Dr. Rachel Beatty Riedl and Dr. Jennifer Brass about two new books on African politics

In this week’s episode, we chat with Dr. Candis Watts Smith (@ProfCandis), assistant professor of public policy at UNC. Her first book, Black Mosaic: The Politics of Black Pan-Ethnic Diversity, was published by NYU Press in 2014. We talk about her book and about racial and political attitudes among millennials in the U.S. Most controversially, … More Ep16. A conversation with Dr. Candis Watts Smith on her book Black Mosaic

In this week’s episode, we speak with Georgetown University professor Lahra Smith. Her book, Making Citizens in Africa: Ethnicity, Gender and National Identity in Ethiopia, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2013. Dr. Smith has taught and conducted research in refugee camps in East and Southern Africa, and has ongoing research on civic education … More Ep15. A conversation with Dr. Lahra Smith on refugees and migrants in the Horn of Africa

In remembrance of the genocide in Rwanda in April 1994, in this week’s episode, we speak with Rwandan filmmaker Kivu Ruhorahoza (@KivuRuhorahoza). His debut film Grey Matter, which came out in 2011, won the Jury Special Mention for Best Emerging Filmmaker at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. His second film, Things of the Aimless Wanderer, … More Ep14. A conversation with Rwandan filmmaker Kivu Ruhorahoza on memory, audience, and art more broadly

In this week’s podcast, we speak with Constantine Manda (@msisiri), a doctoral student in political science at Yale University who hails from Tanzania. We talk about recent events in Tanzania, including the firing of Tanzania’s information minister and the arrest of rapper Nay wa Mitego, and how these events signal growing authoritarianism in the country since the … More Ep13. A conversation with Constantine Manda about increasing authoritarianism in Tanzania

In this week’s podcast, we speak with Dr. Kavemuii Murangi, a Namibian-born educator currently residing in the United States. He is a descendant of the victims of the Ovaherero genocide of 1904-1908 (his great-great grandfather died in 1904 during the genocide war) and co-founder of the U.S.-based OvaHerero, Mbanderu and Nama Genocides Institute. For background on the … More Ep12. A conversation with Dr. Kavemuii Murangi on the Namibian genocide and reparations

We go long in this week’s episode, when we feature excerpts from a fireside chat held during last month’s African Women’s Leadership Conference at Smith College. We are excited to share some of the insights from the conference speakers: Wambui Mwangi (@wambui_mwangi) is a Kenyan writer, scholar, and artist with a passion for post-colonial theory and … More Ep11. Insights from the African Women’s Leadership Conference

This week we chat with three scholars in the diaspora about recent episodes of civil unrest in Zimbabwe. Dr. Chipo Dendere (@drDendere) of Gettysburg College gives us an overview of the recent protests in Zimbabwe and shares insights from her research on remittances and politics. Melusi Nkomo (@MelusiNkomoZim), fellow at Harvard University’s Center for African … More Ep10. Conversations with Zimbabwean scholars on citizen responses to economic decline

This week we chat with Dr. Laura Seay (aka @texasinafrica), Assistant Professor of Political Science at Colby College. She studies politics in Democratic Republic of Congo and is an expert on what many people call “conflict minerals”. She is also an editor at The Monkey Cage, a blog on politics and political science at The Washington … More Ep9. A conversation with Dr. Laura Seay on conflict and minerals in DRC

In the final week of Black History month, we chat with Dr. Daniel Magaziner, Associate Professor of History at Yale University. We talk about his recently published second book, The Art of Life in South Africa. Dr. Magaziner is a historian of 20th century South Africa, and his work focuses on intellectual history. He is also … More Ep8. A conversation with Dr. Daniel Magaziner on an Apartheid-era art school

In this week’s episode, we chat with Dr. Michelle Moyd, Associate Professor of History at Indiana University. Dr. Moyd studies the history of soldiering and warfare in East Africa. She talked with us about her first book, Violent Intermediaries, which explores the social and cultural history of Askari, African soldiers in the colonial army of German East Africa. … More Ep7. A conversation with Dr. Michelle Moyd on colonial East African soldiers

In the second week of Black History Month, we chat with historian Dr. Melissa Graboyes of the University of Oregon. She talks with us about her recently published book, The Experiment Must Continue: Medical Research and Ethics in East Africa, 1940–2014. During the interview, we talk about the summer study abroad program to learn Swahili in Zanzibar that Dr. Graboyes co-directs. … More Ep6. A conversation with Dr. Melissa Graboyes on colonial medical experiments in East Africa

This week on Ufahamu Africa we commemorate the start of Black History Month with a conversation with historian Dr. T.J. Tallie of Washington and Lee University. He shares insights from his research on settler colonialism in South Africa in the 1800s, connecting ideas and themes to the contemporary period. Our conversation with Dr. T.J Tallie begins at … More Ep5. A conversation with Dr. T.J. Tallie to kick off Black History Month

Happy Lunar New Year! It’s the year of the rooster. Because of course. We at Ufahamu Africa have been thinking about what the new year may hold for China-Africa relations. We chatted this week with Lina Benabdallah, a Ph.D. candidate in political science at the University of Florida who studies Chinese investment in human resource development in Africa. … More Ep4. A conversation with Lina Benabdallah on China and Africa

This week on Ufahamu Africa, we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON). We talk about football, politics, and more with Dr. Peter Alegi (aka @futbolprof), a professor of history at Michigan State University. He literally wrote the book on football in Africa. Our conversation with Dr. Peter Alegi begins at 5:25. We … More Ep3. A Conversation with Dr. Peter Alegi on football and politics

Takulandirani! (That’s “We welcome you,” in Chichewa.) This week we launch the #SecondSaturday series, when we chat with an author about their book. Our guest is Priscilla Takondwa Semphere, who talked about her book, Ekari Leaves Malawi. Priscilla is a student at Smith College who also writes for the Huffington Post. Our conversation with Ms. Semphere begins at 4:12. Listen … More Ep2. A conversation with Priscilla Takondwa Semphere on storytelling