The Africanist Podcast

NB: This episode was recorded on February 8, 2025. Since then, the conflict in Eastern DRC has dramatically evolved with more than 7000 fatalities, thousands of displaced and sanctions against Rwanda.
In this episode we delve into the intricate and ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with our esteemed guest, Dr. Patrick Litanga (Eastern Kentucky University). Dr. Litanga, a native of the DRC and an expert in African politics and post-conflict reconstruction, brings his profound insights to the table as we explore the multifaceted dimensions of this protracted war. He traces the origins of the conflict, sheds light on the historical and socio-political factors that have fueled the violence in the region. He also discusses the key actors involved, including the Congolese governmental forces, various rebel groups like M23, and the role of neighboring countries such as Rwanda and Uganda. Through his analysis, Dr. Litanga reveals the complex web of alliances and rivalries that have perpetuated the instability. We also examine the regional tensions and geostrategic implications of the conflict, highlighting how the struggle for control over the DRC's vast mineral resources has drawn in both regional and international players.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Natàlia Bueno, researcher at the Center for Social Studies (Coimbra University), to explore the recent political turmoil in Mozambique. The country has been gripped by violent protests and electoral violence following the contested election results that saw the ruling Frelimo party retain power.
Natàlia Bueno provides an in-depth analysis of the disputed election results, highlighting the allegations of vote rigging and the subsequent unrest that has led to widespread violence and instability. We delve into the tragic assassinations of two prominent opposition leaders, Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe, and discuss the implications of these targeted killings on the political landscape.
Furthermore, we examine the reactions from the international community, including calls for intervention and the impact of these events on Mozambique's relations with neighboring countries and global organizations. Natàlia offers her expert insights into the potential long-term consequences of this political upheaval and what it means for the future of democracy in Mozambique.

This episode is a conversation with distinguished Zambian writer and activist Ba Mulenga Kapwepwe, who was recently invited to Emory University's Institute of African Studies to discuss her latest novel, Perfect Marriage. In this conversation facilitated by Dr. Bamba Ndiaye, Kapwepwe dissects the complexities of Bemba society, ritual practices, and social relationships in a gripping narrative that does not shy away from the scientificity of African cultures and rites often construed as pure folklore.
To purchase the book click HERE.
Novel's synopsys:
"Dr Bwalya Katanshi and Dr Musonda Katongo are Zambian academics working in America. After meeting and falling in love, they decide to tie the knot. Neuroscientist Bwalya returns to Zambia ahead of Musonda, a mechanical engineer, to finalise their wedding arrangements. But the harmony is shattered when Musonda arrives. He is less than enthusiastic about embracing tradition and especially travelling to the village for their marriage rites and ceremonies. This reluctance strains their relationship and creates tension between the lovers, their future in-laws, and the entire village, jeopardizing the couple's future happiness.Rich with captivating depictions of Zambia's natural and cultural heritage, Perfect Marriage offers profound lessons and insights into the interconnectedness of human beings with their environment, with God, and with love-all shown through the lens of Bemba beliefs and practices."
https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Marriage-Mulenga-Kapwepwe/dp/9982990624

On May 19, 2024, an attempted coup occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The assailants targeted President Félix Tshesekedi and the Economy Minister, Vital Kamerhe. They attacked both the Palais de la Nation and the Kamerhe's residence before they were swiftly pushed back by security forces. The commando's leader, Christian Malanga, was killed as a result of the security forces' response. His son Marcel Malanga and dozens of plotters were arrested. In this episode, Dr. Patrick Litanga (Eastern Kentucky University) discusses the details of this recent coup attempt, the history of military takeovers and takeover attempts in the DRC as well as the current political crisis between the DRC and Rwanda in the Eastern Congo. 

In this episode, Nyaradzai Mahachi (Emory University) discusses with Dr. Matthew Rarey (Oberlin College) about the latter's first monograph, Insignificant Things: Amulets and the Art of Survival in the Early Black Atlantic (Duke University Press, 2023) The book "traces the history of the African-associated amulets that enslaved and other marginalized people carried as tools of survival in the Black Atlantic world from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. Often considered visually benign by white Europeans, these amulet pouches, commonly known as “mandingas,” were used across Africa, Brazil, and Portugal and contained myriad objects, from herbs and Islamic prayers to shells and coins. Drawing on Arabic-language narratives from the West African Sahel, the archives of the Portuguese Inquisition, sixteenth- and seventeenth-century European travel and merchant accounts of the West African Coast, and early nineteenth-century Brazilian police records, Rarey shows how mandingas functioned as portable archives of their makers’ experiences of enslavement, displacement, and diaspora. He presents them as examples of the visual culture of enslavement and critical to conceptualizing Black Atlantic art history. Ultimately, Rarey looks to the archives of transatlantic slavery, which were meant to erase Black life, for objects like the mandingas that were created to protect it." https://www.dukeupress.edu/insignificant-things 
 
More about this episode's host, Nyaradzai Mahachi here.
 

In this conversation, Michelle Gavin (CFR), Rachel Beatty Riedl (Cornell University) and Bamba Ndiaye (Emory University) discuss the ongoing political crisis in Senegal. "On Saturday, February 3, Senegalese president Macky Sall informed the nation that he was postponing the presidential election scheduled for February 25. The move was necessary, he claimed, to prevent “a new crisis” from erupting over an ongoing conflict between the judiciary and parliament. It was a stunning and unexpected decree, roundly denounced by trade unions, religious institutions, the press, and citizens alike. It is also the culmination of the acute democratic backsliding that has characterized Senegal since the beginning of Sall’s second term in 2019. If unchecked, this constitutional putsch undeniably marks the demise of Senegalese democracy. Days before Sall’s weekend announcement, lawmakers from the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) and the ruling Benno Bok Yakkar (BBY) coalition accused two Constitutional Court judges of corruption. They allege that BBY’s presidential candidate, Prime Minister Amadou Ba, bribed two judges to eliminate a political opponent, PDS candidate Karim Wade, from the race."
Music:  Mackycratie by Keur Gui Crew
Selected readings:
"The Demise of Senegalese Democracy" by Bamba Ndiaye
Restaurer la République (Texte collectif)
"Making Sense of Senegal's Constitution" by Catherine Lena Kelly
"Senegal's "Unraveling": President's Delay of Election Is Latest in String of Anti-Democratic Actions" www.democracynow.org  
 

Co-Host: Eman Ghanayem
In this episode, we discuss Mohamed Abdou's (Columbia University) Islam and Anarchism. "Islam and Anarchism is a highly original and interdisciplinary work, which simultaneously disrupts two commonly held beliefs - that Islam is necessarily authoritarian and capitalist; and that anarchism is necessarily anti-religious and anti-spiritual. Deeply rooted in key Islamic concepts and textual sources, and drawing on radical Indigenous, Islamic anarchistic and social movement discourses, Abdou proposes 'Anarcha-Islam'. Constructing a decolonial, non-authoritarian and non-capitalist Islamic anarchism."
Source: https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745341927/islam-and-anarchism/

In this episode, Chelsy Monie and Dr. Susan Gagliardi (Emory University) discuss, the latter's recent monograph entitled Seeing the Unseen: Arts of Power Association on the Senufo-Mande Cultural "Frontier" (Indiana University Press, 2023)
In this book, "art historian Susan Elizabeth Gagliardi examines tensions between the seen and unseen that makers, patrons, and audiences of arts in western West Africa negotiate through objects, assemblages, and performances. Gagliardi examines how ambiguity anchors design of the arts, and she shows that attempts to determine exact meanings miss the point. Specialists across western West Africa construct assemblages, installations, and buildings that hint at the possibility of revelation, but full disclosure remains unattainable. Specific activities and contexts integral to the design and use of the works often leave no visible trace" (IU Press).
More about the host of this episode, Chelsy Monie here. 

In this episode, renowned Kenyan writer and thinker Ngūgī wa Thiong’o discusses crucial issues in African literature including the 1962 African Writers Conference in Kampala, language use and the specter of (neo)colonialism in literary productions and African development. He also talks about sociopolitical issues in contemporary Africa as well as personal challenges he’s faced in the past few years.
Co-Host: Dr. Baba Badji (Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of French and the Department of English, Rutgers University) 
Music by Xuman and Keyti.
We thank Xuman and Keyti of the Journal Rappé for allowing us to use the songs below in this episode.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9edJOJa_O4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5MZnUbygGo 
 

On June 1, 2023, a criminal court in Dakar found opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko guilty of corrupting the youth while dropping the rape and death threats charges in a historic case opposing him to Adji Sarr. The verdict plunged the country into another popular uprising resulting in more than two dozen fatalities, hundreds of injured protesters, and detentions. In this conversation, journalist, Borso Tall and the host discuss the outcome of the Sonko v. Sarr verdict and their experiences with the June 2023 uprising in Dakar, Senegal.   

On June 1, 2023, a criminal court in Dakar found opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko guilty of corrupting the youth while dropping the rape and death threats charges in a historic case opposing him to Adji Sarr. The verdict plunged the country into another popular uprising resulting in more than two dozen fatalities, hundreds of injured protesters, and detentions. In this conversation, journalist, Borso Tall and the host discuss the outcome of the Sonko v. Sarr verdict and their experiences with the June 2023 uprising in Dakar, Senegal.

PART-TWO: What happened in Ngor last week, a small fishing village on the coast of Dakar, Senegal? What do we know about the death of Adji Diallo, a 15-year-old inhabitant of the village? Is the Senegalese justice system being weaponized against Ousmane Sonko and the opposition to invalidate his presidential bid? How can the legal saga against Sonko impact the 2024 presidential election in Senegal? Will President Macky Sall, run for a third candidacy? In this conversation, Chevening Scholar and freelance journalist, Borso Tall takes us into weeks of covering protest movements in Senegal and talking with protesters and victims' families. We also discuss the imbalance of the Senegalese judiciary and how it may impact the upcoming presidential election in 2024.
Music (Diougou fi and Badola XXXL) by Keur Gui Crew

PART-ONE: What happened in Ngor last week, a small fishing village on the coast of Dakar, Senegal? What do we know about the death of Adji Diallo, a 15-year-old inhabitant of the village? Is the Senegalese justice system being weaponized against Ousmane Sonko and the opposition to invalidate his presidential bid? How can the legal saga against Sonko impact the 2024 presidential election in Senegal? Will President Macky Sall, run for a third candidacy? In this conversation, Chevening Scholar and freelance journalist, Borso Tall takes us into weeks of covering protest movements in Senegal and talking with protesters and victims' families. We also discuss the imbalance of the Senegalese judiciary and how it may impact the upcoming presidential election in 2024. Stay tuned for part two of the conversation.
Music by Keur Gui Crew

In this episode, historian, Mariana Candido (Emory University), discusses her recent book entitled Wealth, Land, and Property in Angola: A History of Dispossession, Slavery, and Inequality (Cambridge University Press, 2022).
In this conversation, Prof. Candido elaborates on the issues of women's land ownership, theories of "unoccupied lands and land surplus" as well as the power of written documentation under colonial rule in West-Central Africa.

In this episode, historian, Joel Cabrita  (Standford University), discusses her recent monograph Written Out: The Silencing of Regina Gelana Twala (Ohio University Press 2023) She explains how a Black South African woman (Regina Twala) was systematically erased from history and from the scholarly works she helped produced. Dr. Cabrita also discusses the issues of positionality, historical erasure, and academic misappropriation as obstacles that continue to impede knowledge production and dissemination.

In this episode, Ugandan social activist and scholar, Bwesigye Bwa Mwesigire (Institute of African Studies, Emory University), discusses the policing of social activism in contemporary Africa. He also shares his personal experience in an environment where violent attacks against activists are recurrent. 
This conversation is part of a series on "Social Activism in Contemporary Africa" produced in the framework of the Ufahamu Africa Non-Resident Fellowship. It was first released on the Ufahamu Africa Podcast.
You can listen to the first episode of the series here. 
"What is the role of the radical intellectual in Uganda?" (by Bwesigye Mwesigire)

In this episode, Associate Professor of History, Tyler Fleming (University of Louisville) discusses his book Opposing Apartheid on Stage: King Kong the Musical  (University of Rochester Press 2020).
"In 1959, King Kong, an interracial jazz opera, swept across South Africa and became a countrywide phenomenon. Its performances sold out, its LP record was widely heard, and its cast became recognized celebrities. Featuring an African composer, cast, and orchestra but predominantly white directors and producers, this interracial production seemed completely distinct from any other theatrical production in the country's history. Despite being staged over a decade after the enacting of apartheid, the interracial collaboration met widespread acclaim that bridged South Africa's racial, political, ethnic, and class fissures."
https://boydellandbrewer.com/9781580469852/opposing-apartheid-on-stage/

In this episode, Dr. Noémie Ndiaye (University of Chicago) discusses her recent monograph, Scripts of Blackness: Early Modern Performance Culture and the Making of Race (University of Pennsylvania Press 2022). The book chronicles the representation of Blackness in early modern Europe (with a focus on England, France, and Spain) through theater and performance culture. In addition to unpacking the concepts of racial matrix and race paradigm, Dr. Ndiaye fleshes out how certain controversial techniques such as "black-up", "kinetic blackness", and "blackspeak (acoustic blackness)" permeated early modern European theater thus contributing to the rise a new racial paradigm.

The recent coup in Burkina Faso continues to raise many questions about the political future of the country as well as the relationships between Burkina Faso and its external partners in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region. In this episode, Dr. Lassane Ouédraogo (Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo de Ouagadougou) discusses the recent military coup in Burkina Faso and the removal of President Sandaogo Damiba who came to power in January 2022 after overthrowing the civilian regime led by President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. Dr. Ouédraogo talks about the general situation in the streets of the capital city, Ouagadougou, and the grievances of the junta.
This episode was recorded on Sunday, October 2, 2022.
Contacts:
Dr. Ouédraogo: lassaneo@fulbrightmail.org
The Africanist Podcast: theafricanist2020@gmail.com
 

On July 31, 2022, Senegal held its legislative election which resulted in a historical "split" parliament between the presidential coalition Benno Bokk Yakkaar (BBY) and the political opposition led by the inter-coalition Yewwi Askan Wi (YAW) and Wàllu. Out of the 165 members of parliament (MPs) that will constitute the National Assembly, BBY won 82 MPs, YAW-Wàllu won 80 MPs while the political formations Bokk Gis Gis, Les serviteurs and Aar Sénégal got one MP each. In this episode, Prof. Ousmane Sène of the West African Research Centre (WARC) discusses the results of the election as well as the controversies noted during the pre-campaign period and casting of the ballots, including fraud allegations and the need to abide by the instituted rules.