Ufahamu Africa
by Kim Yi Dionne and Rachel Beatty Riedl
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. Each Saturday, a new episode highlights what is happening in the news, followed by an interview with a diverse thinker or innovator who is deeply ingrained in the life, culture, and politics of the continent.
Episodes
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Ep. 203: Fellows Fu Asiedu and Ami Tamakloe on the Anti-LGBT Bill in Ghana
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…
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Ep. 202: Fellow Basil Ibrahim and Tedd Moya Mose on Sustainable Energy Systems
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...
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Ep. 201: Fellow Expédit Ologou and Mamadou Ismaïla Konaté on Democracy (French)
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...
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Ep. 200: Military Coups in Africa with the Global Stage Podcast
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...
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Ep. 199: Carolyn Holmes on the Upcoming South Africa Elections
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…
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Good Authority: Despite Africa’s Digital Media Boom, Huge Access Gaps Persist
"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...
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Good Authority: Don’t Call it a “Coup Epidemic” in Africa
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...
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Ep. 198: AFCON and the Politics of Southern African Football
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…
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Ep. 197: Nisrin Elamin on the Conflict in Sudan (rerun)
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...
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Ep. 196: Fellow Expédit Ologou and Mamadou Seck on Senegal's Election (French)
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…
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Ep. 195: Fellow Gopolang Botlhokwane and South Africa's Case Against Israel
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…
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Ep. 194: Fellows Fu Asiedu and Ami Tamakloe and a People's Political History of Ghana
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...
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Ep. 193: Lawrence Were and Access to Health Insurance
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...
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Ep. 192: Takondwa Semphere and Khaleelah Logan on Black African Diaspora and the Continent
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...
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Introducing Our New Fellows
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,...
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Ep. 191: Bamba Ndiaye and Michelle Gavin on Democratic Crisis in Senegal
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…
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Ep. 190: 2023 Year in Review
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...
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Ep. 189: Paul Friesen on Local Democratic Resilience
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...
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Ep. 188: Dominika Koter on Democracy in Benin
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...
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Ep. 187: Alexandra Blackman on Democracy in Tunisia
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…
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Ep. 186: Democracy in Malawi
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...
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Ep. 185: Kwadwo Owusu on Environmental Health and Well-Being
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…
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Ep. 184: Fellow Maseke Rioba and Yasah Musah on Identity as a Human Right
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.
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Ep. 183: Nisrin Elamin on the Conflict in Sudan
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...
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Ep. 182: Mandela Fellows Sandile Mnikati, Lindah Chavuya, Eunice Shapange, and Matshidiso Lencoasa on Public Policy
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...
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Bonus: Zimbabwe's 2023 Elections
"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...
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Ep. 181: Mandela Fellows Aisha Namugga, Bashiru Koroma, and Louise Tekapso on Sustainability
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…
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Ep. 180: Mandela Fellows Dede Barpeen, Gibson Maina, and Ruth Sulaimon on Health
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...
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Ep. 179: #OccupyJulorbiHouse Protests in Ghana
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...
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Ep. 178: E. Tendayi Achiume and Eleanor Paynter on race, refuge, and border justice (rerun)
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...
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Student Essay Winner: The Nigeria 2023 Election
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...
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Become an Ufahamu Africa Podcast Fellow
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...
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Ep. 177: A conversation with fellow Bamba Ndiaye and journalist Borso Tall on uprisings in Senegal (part 2)
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...
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Ep. 176: A conversation with fellow Bamba Ndiaye and journalist Borso Tall on uprisings in Senegal (part 1)
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...
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Bonus: Laura Seay's review of "Roadblock Politics," "The War That Doesn't Say Its Name," and "Batman Saves the Congo"
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...
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Ep. 175: A conversation with fellow Kamogelo Tinyiko Theledi, Mpho Tjope, Rhulani Baloyi, and Kamohelo Sebudi about marginalized identities
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…
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Ep. 174: A conversation with Maseke Rioba and Njuguna Macharia on the sport of debate
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...
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Ep. 173: A conversation with fellow Kamogelo Tinyiko Theledi on arts funding and corruption
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...
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Ep. 172: A conversation with E. Tendayi Achiume and Eleanor Paynter on race, refuge, and border justice
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,...
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Ep. 171: A conversation with Mai Hassan, Nisrin Elamin, and Deen Sharp on Sudan
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…
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Ep. 170: A conversation with activist Fatima Derby on Uganda's anti-gay bill
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…
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Bonus: Miriam Anderson reviews "War, Women, and Post-conflict Empowerment"
“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…
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Bonus: Carolyn E. Holmes reviews "The Inheritors" and "Until We Have Won Our Liberty"
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...
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Ep. 169: A conversation with Oumar Ba, Marame Gueye, and Bamba Ndiaye on Senegalese democracy
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...
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Bonus: Laura Seay reviews "These Are Not Gentle People"
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…
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Ep. 168: A conversation with fellow Takondwa Priscilla Semphere and Keith Mundangepfupfu on African school culture
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...
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Ep.167: A conversation with Prince Guma, Astrid Haas, and Patience Mususa on urban Africa
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...
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Ep. 166: A conversation with fellow Bamba Ndiaye and Ugandan activist Bwesigye Bwa Mwesigire
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...
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Ep. 165: A conversation with fellow Kamo Tinyiko Theledi, Solly Moeng, and Sthembiso Sithole about social media and elections
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...
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Ep. 164: A conversation with fellow Maseke Rioba and human rights lawyer Diakhoumba Gassama about FGM
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...
About this show
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. Each Saturday, a new episode highlights what is happening in the news, followed by an interview with a diverse thinker or innovator who is deeply ingrained in the life, culture, and politics of the continent.
Hosted by
Kim Yi Dionne and Rachel Beatty Riedl