Ms. Harris goes to Africa
For all the coverage about Kamala Harris' Afrobeats Spotify playlist, or her search for her grandfather’s house in Lusaka, her African trip is about shoring up US positions.
Politics
No compromises
In a country as diverse and divided as Sudan, who gets to define women’s rights and struggles?
Proof that our society works
You know who Gary Lineker is, and perhaps the Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan. But do you know who Abiden Jafari is?
The deep authoritarian imaginary
Authoritarian populism isn’t the only authoritarian project we should be worried about, as Tanzania under the late John Magufuli showed.
Whose democracy?
In Israel, tens of thousands have demonstrated against the new right-wing government’s plans for judicial reform. But what of the Palestinian question? In this episode of the podcast, we discuss.
The future of South Africa’s Tripartite Alliance
On March 20th there was a national shutdown in South Africa. On that day, we hosted a discussion in Johannesburg on the effectiveness and future of the South African left.
To speak freely in Zambia
The Zambian state must make better concessions regarding free speech. The people have been demanding that since independence.
We don’t need another hero
In Nigeria’s recent election cycle, many citizens looked to Peter Obi for change. But the country needs people-led social transformation, not saviors.
Cut out of society
African women en route to Europe often land up stuck in Morocco, taking on precarious work as hairdressers and beauticians.
Against war: Africa in the new world disorder
The war in Ukraine indicates a new world disorder, where great powers fight for primacy and Africa continues to be exploited.
South Africa’s energy crisis
Why is South Africa suffering from up to 12 hours of blackouts a day? On this podcast, we explain the country’s energy crisis.
A country of spectacular stories
A few days after Nigeria’s presidential elections, with a disputed winner declared, here are some initial conclusions and prospects.
One of the great events in global labor history
2023 marks 50 years since the Durban Strikes. It doesn't fit neatly fit into mainstream accounts of the struggle against South African apartheid.
Multipolarity vs universality
On the one year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, neither the West or Russia can clearly explain how exactly the rest of humanity, especially Africans, wins from their respective preferred outcomes.
The age of the Obidients
Peter Obi, one of the three main candidates for Nigerian president, is neither a savior nor a socialist, but his candidacy and his supporters have enlivened Nigerian elections.
Ignore and rule
What do Europeans do when they hear the war waged by the government of Ethiopia has killed more people than the war in Ukraine?
“Black African” may be oxymoronic
For many African immigrants in the United States, being seen as Black doesn’t necessarily equate to seeing oneself as Black.
Who is benefiting here?
The UKs deportation pact with Rwanda is being likened to a "human trafficking deal." It reflects the state of Rwandan politics.
The temptation of a simple story
In light of Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, Africans again grapple with the histories of Soviet—and then Russian—connections.
The influence of the middle class
With the working classes down and out, it is arguably the middle classes that will play the more decisive role in African politics going forward.