On Africa

This episode of the On Africa podcast features Sudanese scholar and activist Nisrin Elamin (Stanford University) and Dr. Zachariah Mampilly, Professor of Political Science (Vassar College) in an in-depth discussion on the current civilian protests in Sudan.

While the latest spate of protests was sparked by rising bread prices, the underlying grievances of Sudanese citizens revolve around decades of political and economic marginalization.

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For this episode, we sat down with Dr. Anita Plummer of the African Studies Department of Howard University, for an in-depth discussion on China-Africa relations. We unpack the popular understanding of the notion of "China in Africa", the long history of relations between the two regions, and the perspectives of African governments in their relations to China. I hope you will listen and enjoy!

This episode of the On Africa podcast examines the West's historical and contemporary uses of photography and photojournalism to shape narratives of Africa and African peoples. Our discussion ranges from the New York Times' controversial coverage of the January 2019 Al-Shabab attacks in Nairobi, Kenya; to the historic role of National Geographic's imagery; and the standard tropes related to Africa that permeate Western Media - exploring their racist implications, double standards and harmful impacts.

We are joined by photojournalist Kainaz Amaria, who serves as the Visuals Editor for Vox News and is an outspoken voice on these issues.

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This episode of the On Africa podcast explores political developments in Tanzania. Specifically, we examine reports of democratic backsliding in the nation as evidenced by the annulment of polls in Zanzibar in 2015, the ban on opposition party protests, and the arbitrary arrests of politicians and journalists.

To help navigate these issues, we're joined by Mr. Tundu Lissu, a Member of the Tanzanian Parliament and representative of the country's leading opposition party CHADEMA (Party for Democracy & Progress).

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This episode of the On Africa podcast examines the emergence of new economic and military investments by Gulf states in the Horn of Africa, as well as the geopolitical and strategic competition it entails.

To help us unpack these rivalries within and between Gulf states and nations in the Horn of Africa, I spoke with Zach Vertin of the Brookings Institution's Doha Center - who published the article "Red Sea Rivalries" in the January 2019 edition of Foreign Affairs magazine.

Zach is also the author of the recently released "A Rope from the Sky: The Making and Unmaking of the World's Newest State" which focuses on political developments in South Sudan.

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