Ufahamu Africa

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 ("2010 World Cup $10-million ‘bribe': SA left out even as $201-million returned to Fifa") at AmaBhungane Center for Journalism, won the Vodacom Journalist of the Year (sports category) in 2023 investigates possible corruption and governance is issues at South Africa Football Association (SAFA).Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

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

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, however, was never shared with these workers. In September 2022, the Cultural and Creative Industries Federation of South Africa (CCIFSA) opened a case against the National Arts Council, alleging corruption, money laundering, and mismanagement of funds. Kamo speaks to Bongani Mahlangu, a journalist and socio-political commentator, and Jack Devnarain, an award winning South African actor and chairman of the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA). They provide important context around the plight of artists and performers after the pandemic and the effects of corruption on their livelihoods. 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. 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 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.

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 "Sudan: Insight into Current Events."You'll hear from Mai Hassan, associate professor of political science at MIT, Nisrin Elamin, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Toronto, and Deen Sharp, visiting LSE fellow in human geography & environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science. The conversation was moderated by Mostafa Minawi. Thank you to the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies at Cornell University and its Critical Ottoman and Post-Ottoman Studies initiative for hosting the original event and sharing the recording with us and our listeners. Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

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

“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 Ami Tamakloe. Episode edited by Jack Kubinec. Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

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 Lieberman's is optimistic," writes Holmes. "Rather, Fairbanks understands the transition away from apartheid as a continuation of, rather than merely a break from, the past. And this is perhaps where the subtitles of each of these books can illuminate their difference."Review read by Ami Tamakloe. This episode was edited by Jack Kubinec.Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

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, and the role of civic mobilizations in the country. Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

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. "This lack of connection, trust and knowledge creates a vicious cycle, creating misunderstanding, fear, and more mistrust."Review read by Ami Tamakloe. This episode was edited by Jack Kubinec.Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

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 secondary 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. Keith Mundangepfupfu is a Zimbabwean ethics and leadership and English teacher for the SEGL in Johannesburg program. He graduated from Wesleyan University where he studied economics, history, government, philosophy, and African studies. He also graduated with a master's migration studies from Oxford University. Prior to teaching, Keith worked as a policy research analyst in the Education Portfolio at the Robertson Foundation. In his spare time, Keith is a writer and has been published in African Literary magazines including Brittle Paper and The Enkare Review.Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

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 Shape Urban Africa in 2023," which highlights:Innovative forms of affordable housingGentrifying neighborhoodsHeightened focus on emerging citiesConfronting floodingThe impact of big techPrince Guma is a researcher of cities, infrastructures and technologies in eastern Africa.  Astrid Haas is an independent urban economist supporting cities and has worked extensively with city governments across Africa, the Middle East and Asia. And Patience Mususa is senior researcher at the Nordic Africa Institute, Uppsala.Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

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 of the Ubuntu Reading Group Publishing Collective.In the news wrap, Kim and Rachel discuss the latest on the continent. In particular, we discuss the recent dangerous rhetoric from Tunisia's President Kais Saied who has been scapegoating Black Africans in his country for its terrible economic conditions.Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

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

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 across the continent. We also announce the Student Reflections Essay Competition! Independently or as part of a class assignment, we invite students to submit one-page reflection essays responding to one of our episodes by May 1. Find the books, links, and articles we mentioned in this episode on our website, ufahamuafrica.com.

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