Ufahamu Africa
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
259 episodes
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 ...
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Season 8
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Episode 203
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1:19:25
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 ...
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Season 8
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Episode 202
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1:04:24
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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 associat...
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Season 8
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Episode 201
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42:37
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 Ra...
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Season 8
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Episode 200
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47:52
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 c...
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Season 8
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Episode 199
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1:06:12
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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 bon...
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9:06
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 ar...
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Season 8
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38:25
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 socc...
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Season 8
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Episode 198
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40:33
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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....
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Season 8
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Episode 197
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58:48
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 Res...
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Season 8
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Episode 196
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1:01:14
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 whi...
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Season 8
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Episode 195
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43:42
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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 ab...
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Season 8
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Episode 194
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27:16
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 w...
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Season 8
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Episode 193
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50:44
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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...
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Season 8
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Episode 192
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45:56
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...
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Season 8
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3:38
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 Mi...
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Season 8
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Episode 191
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53:16
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!
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Season 8
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Episode 190
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37:21
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. ...
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Season 8
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Episode 189
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33:36
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 ...
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Season 8
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Episode 188
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35:57
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 Rache...
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Season 8
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Episode 187
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37:18
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 hea...
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Season 8
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Episode 186
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35:50
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 environ...
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Season 8
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Episode 185
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43:10
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.
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Season 8
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Episode 184
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36:08
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 regi...
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Season 8
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Episode 183
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58:38
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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 wer...
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Season 8
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Episode 182
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1:17:17
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