African Studies
Utafiti: Journal of African Perspectives
Call for Papers: Utafiti is inviting you to submit your manuscript – any topic in the humanities - for consideration in the next issues.
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This journal promotes critical and worldly debates with Africa at the centre.
New Series: Africa Futures / Afrique Futurs
Published in association with the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), Africa Futures features cutting-edge research that critically reflects on some of the big questions relevant to imagining Africa’s future as a place.
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Robin Attfield talks about how Africa finds itself vulnerable to drought but also the flooding of its coastline, among other untoward environmental effects of climate change and civil war.
The foundations of politics and of the whole of public life were severely shattered by the mid-March shock announcement of President John Magufuli’s unforeseen death, only months after the start of his second presidential term. Without delay or hesitancy and in accordance with the constitution, Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan was immediately sworn in as Tanzania’s sixth (and first female) president. Initially not openly digressing from her authoritarian and controversial predecessor, President Hassan nevertheless quickly introduced an entirely different leadership style, enacted changes in key ministerial positions, and generally opened up the political climate in a more liberal direction. The most drastic turnaround related to the acknowledgement of the coronavirus pandemic and an end to the previous denialist governmental policies. Only little concrete improvement was, however, observable in respect of a fairly functioning democratic political arena. A key opposition leader was arrested in July and kept in prison until year’s end without a verdict. The long-ruling ccm (Chama Cha Mapinduzi/Revolutionary Party) maintained its unchallenged dominance. Foreign relations, particularly with international agencies and donor countries, improved markedly. The economy showed relative resilience and recovered from a unique 2020 contraction, attaining an estimated gdp growth rate of above 4%. With a more supportive governmental attitude, the business climate improved notably.