Urban Effervescence: Youth Culture, City Space, and Afropolitan Projects

There are over fifty cities throughout Africa with a population of more than one million inhabitants. However, urban spaces tend to be left out of America’s collective imagination of the continent. Cities are cosmopolitan places where ideas circulate, people mix and mingle, trends are set, and influences of innumerable origins meld together. In this episode, we explore the experiences of young people in urban settings throughout Africa. We focus on the ways youth cultures can affirm a vision of Africa that cuts against the grain of stereotypes and dominant narratives.

Episode Terminology

Afrofuturism: A cultural aesthetic that combines science-fiction, history and fantasy to explore the African-American experience and aims to connect those from the black diaspora with their forgotten African ancestry (tate.org)

Cosmopolitanism: Having wide international sophistication; having worldwide rather than limited or provincial scope or bearing (merriam-webster.com)

Afropolitan: Someone who has roots in Africa, raised by the world, but still has an interest in the continent and is making an impact (cnn.com)

Collective Effervescence: A powerful form of synchrony that is associated with intense emotions and communal shared experiences (psychologytoday.com)

Vibe: A distinctive emotional quality or atmosphere that is sensed or experienced by someone (thefreedictionary.com)

Guest Bios

Anima Adjepong

Anima Adjepong, PhD, is a sociologist and Assistant Professor of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality studies at the University of Cincinnati whose research examines culture, identities, and social change in West Africa and the diaspora.

Lilian Sibanda

Lilian Sibanda is a English Second Language Teacher in Peru and a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Massachusetts Boston who is from Zimbabwe.

Shamiso Ngongoni

Shamiso Ngongoni is a Salesforce Administrator at The African, a nonprofit in Columbus, Ohio focused on the socioeconomic advancement of the African Diaspora, and is from Zimbabwe.

Irene Asuwa

Irene Asuwa is a graduate of the University of Nairobi and an environmental activist in Kenya.

Katherine Manning

Katherine Manning is a World History teacher and Model UN Advisor at Lexington High School in Lexington, MA.

Free Resources and Featured Books

Afropolitan Projects: Redefining Blackness, Sexualities, and Culture from Houston to Accra by Anima Adjepong illuminates and critiques the various forms of Afropolitan projects in Houston, Texas and Accra, Ghana, looking at these political and aesthetic expressions through the lenses of race, class, gender, and sexuality.
“I Didn’t Know There Were Cities in Africa!” is an article by Brenda Randolph and Elizabeth DeMulder published by Learning for Justice focused on the misconceptions and prejudices frequently associated with Africa that can be countered through teaching that includes, among other approaches, an emphasis on urban life.
“Bye-Bye Babar” is an article by Taiye Selasi is an early and iconic expression of Afropolitanism and which offers accessible and vivid imagery of the vibrant cultural hybridity embodied by Afropolitan youth.
“Don’t Ask Where I’m From, Ask Where I’m a Local” is a TED Talk by Taiye Selasi which presents a vision of global interconnectedness and identities that transcend borders, origins, and static definition.
“15 Most Beautiful & Developed African Cities in 2021” is a video by African Insider that provides succinct descriptions of urban spaces throughout Africa, featuring descriptions of the cultural scenes across the continent.
“Young, Urban and Culturally Savvy, Meet the Afropolitans” by Mark Tutton is a CNN article the presents Afropolitanism through the prism of a U.S.-based media outlet.
The Afropolitan Podcast is a podcast series that delves into the contours and particularities of Afropolitan identity by hosts who identify with and embody the spirit of certain forms of its expression.
“Why I’m Not an Afropolitan” by Emma Dabiri is an article that provides a critique of Afropolitan expressions as the new “single story” that has its own blindspots and limitations for representing Africa and Africans.

Episode Acknowledgements

Thanks to Anima Adjepong, Lilian Sibanda, Shamiso Ngongoni, Irene Asuwa, and Katherine Manning for sharing your insights and expertise.

Thanks to Nico Rivers for audio editing, mixing and mastering this episode.

Special thanks to the Boston University Africa Studies Center and the Teaching Africa Outreach Program for collaborating and providing support for this podcast.

Image Credits

“Lights and Ambience at Kona Bar, Osu Oxford Street” by Warmglow, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photo of Anima Adjepong University of Cincinnati website.

Featured Music

“Way-to-West” by Ketsa, from the album Reflective Processes, under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Antidote” by Ketsa, from the album Reflective Processes, under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Live-It (Instrumental)” by Ketsa, from the album As Above So Below, under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Unguja” by Xylo-Ziko, from the album Polyrhythms, under CC BY-NC 4.0. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Bazaruto” by Xylo-Ziko, from the album Polyrhythms, under CC BY-NC 4.0. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Djerba” by Xylo-Ziko, from the album Polyrhythms, under CC BY-NC 4.0. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Sino de Cobre” by Blue Dot Sessions, from the album Chocolate, under CC BY-NC 4.0. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Arizona Moon” by Blue Dot Sessions, from the album Chocolate, under CC BY-NC 4.0. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

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Environmental Africa: Climate Change, Conservation, and Communal Cooperation

Climate change, habitat loss, and the endangerment of wildlife has brought about international interventions and conservation efforts throughout Africa. However, policies and programs are not without their problems. Throughout Africa, questions of environmental and climate justice are raised when communal lifestyles are threatened by initiatives that are not designed with a mindfulness of the needs of people throughout Africa. In this episode, we explore the human toll taken by climate change and sometimes even by efforts to protect the environment.

Guest Bios

Richard Schroeder

Richard Schroeder is a Professor of Geography in the Department of Anthropology at Brandeis University with expertise in political ecology, Africa, and conservation.

Malavika Vyawahare

Malavika Vyawahare is a staff reporter for Mongabay, a nonprofit environmental science and conservation news platform.

James Herrera

James Herrera is a researcher and program coordinator at the Duke Lemur Center SAVA Conservation program, Duke University, and based in Madagascar.v

Fulgence Thio Rosin

Fulgence Thio Rosin is a PhD student at the University of Antananarivo in Madagascar in collaboration with the University of Goettingen in Germany. He is a lecturer in animal biology and ecology at the Regional University Centre of SAVA region.

Oladosu Adenike

Oladosu Adenike is a Nigerian climate activist and eco-feminist working for equality, security, and peace across Africa, in particular the Lake Chad region.

Briana Brown

Briana Brown is an environmental science and biology teacher at Brookline High School in Brookline, MA.

Roger Grande

Roger Grande is a world history, social justice, and global leadership teacher at Brookline High School in Brookline, MA.

Free Resources and Featured Books

African Studies Association promotes the teaching of Africa in K-16 classrooms, promoting this work through an annual teacher workshop and the production of teacher resources.
- Youth Rise Up Against Climate Change: An Interactive Conversation Across Two Continents is a video of a panel discussion from the virtual 2020 African Studies Association Annual Teachers’ Workshop: Transnational Solidarities, featuring youth climate activists from across Africa.
- Introducing Africa, Racial Stereotyping, and Environmental Justice is a video from the virtual 2020 African Studies Association Annual Teachers’ Workshop: Transnational Solidarities, focused on a a framework for teaching about Africa in early grade, including an emphasis on environmental justice.
- Enhancing Children’s Literature with African Voices is a video from the virtual 2020 African Studies Association Annual Teachers’ Workshop: Transnational Solidarities, featuring Irene Asuwa talking about the book Seeds of Change by Jen Cullerton as part of the Boston University African Studies Center K-16 Education Outreach Program Children’s Literature Enrichment Project.
White Man’s Game: Saving Animals, Rebuilding Eden, and Other Myths of Conservation in Africa by Stephanie Hanes focuses on the narratives and misconceptions around conservation efforts in Africa, focusing on the problematic aspects of this work and the implications that it has on the daily lives of people across the African continent.
“Our House is on Fire– Time to Teach Climate Justice” is an article by Bill Bigelow, published in rethinking schools, about the urgency of introducing climate justice to students. The article offers a framework for bringing the work of climate justice into classrooms.
Teach Climate Justice Campaign consists of teaching resources, voices from classrooms, and other information about workshops and opportunities for youth engagement around the issue of climate justice.
Oladosu Adenike: I Lead Climate includes videos and writings by Oladosu regarding climate change and the role of African youth in addressing this global problem through campaigns that are centered around the voices and perspectives that tend to be eclipsed in the discourse around climate change.

Episode Acknowledgements

Thanks to Rick Schroeder, Malavika Vyawahare, James Herrera, Fulgence Thio Rosin, Oladosu Adenike, Briana brown, and Roger Grande for sharing your expertise in this episode!

Thanks to Nico Rivers for audio editing, mixing, and mastering.

Special thanks to the Boston University Africa Studies Center and the Teaching Africa Outreach Program for collaborating and providing support for this podcast.

Image Credits

“Baobab Avenue” by Fox Talbot, under Creative Commons License Attribution Share Alike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Photo of Richard Schroeder provided by Brandeis University website.

Photo of Malavika Vyawahare provided by LinkedIn.

Photo of James Herrera provided by ResearchGate.

Photo of Fulgence Thio Rosin provided by Twitter.

Photo of Oladosu Adenike provided by Wikipedia.

Featured Music

“Bowmazan Ya Mahaba Bi Kidude Song” by The Sounds of Taraab, from the album Live at WFMU on Rob Weisberg’s Show on 4/7/2007, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commerical Share Alike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Lightstream” by Siddhartha Corsus from the album Constellations under Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Song for Ramanujan (Saraswati Devi)” by Siddhatha Corsus from the album The Truth Within under Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Imperial Tiger Orchestra” by Noise Problems Selections from the album NP50 Selections Vol. 2 under Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial- NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Too Thirsty to Drink Water” by Karl Blau from the album Bread-N-Grease under Creative Commons Licence Attribution- NonCommercial- ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Fogo” by Xylo-Ziko, from the album Polyrhythms, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International (CCBY-NC 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Xaleyi” by Youssoupha Sidibe, from the album Sacred Sound, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US).This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“The Fires of Your Peace” by Siddhartha Corsus, from the album Night Psalms, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Internaional (CC BY-NC 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Mwali” by Xylo-Ziko, from the album Polyrhythms, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International (CCBY-NC 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

African Women Shaping the Future: Leadership, Resilience, and Possibility

In the larger context of development in Africa, often criticized for its colonial underpinnings, African women demonstrate resilience and empowerment in ways that often go unrecognized.
One visible form of empowerment is where women address community needs as leaders and visionaries. In this episode, we explore the intersection of race, gender, and work through stories of women who are creatively shaping their fields and creating change.

Guest Bios

Adryan Wallace, PhD

Adryan Wallace, PhD is an assistant professor in the Department of Africana Studies at Stony Brook University.

Walter Mswaka, PhD

Walter Mswaka, PhD is an associate professor of social entrepreneurship in the Department of Social Entrepreneurship at Rollins College.

Thabiso Mahlape

Thabiso Mahlape is the founder of Blackbird Books, an independent publishing house in South Africa that is dedicated to giving young Black writers a platform. Learn more about Blackbird Books at www.blackbirdbooks.africa.

Charlot Magayi

Charlot Magayi is the founder and CEO of Mukuru Clean Stoves, a social enterprise that produces clean, affordable and reliable cook stoves for under-served markets to reduce household air pollution. Learn more about Mukuru Clean Stoves at www.mukurustoves.org.

Rachel Laryea

Rachel Laryea specializes in racial capitalism, ethical entrepreneurship, and social good. After working on Wall Street, Rachel pursued a dual PhD in African American Studies and Sociocultural Anthropology at Yale University, and also launched Kelewele to showcase the diversity of Africa and its diaspora through healthy food. Learn more about Kelewele at www.kelewelenyc.com.

Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho

Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho is the CEO of Futuresoft Software Resources, a full-service digital agency and IT Solutions company based in Nigeria. Learn more about Futuresoft at www.futuresoft-ng.com.

Kaylene Stevens Petrin, EdD

Kaylene Stevens Petrin, EdD is a lecturer and program director of social studies education at the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development at Boston University and a former high school social studies teacher and department chair at Framingham High School in Massachusetts.

Taylor Collins

Taylor Collins is a history teacher at Framingham High School in Massachusetts and the director of Step Up to Excellence Mentoring.

Free Resources and Featured Books

Lionesses of Africa provides blogs, audio content, profiles, and other resources on women entrepreneurs across Africa.
“African Women Entrepreneurs: The Hope of a Continent” by Forbes Africa shines a light on the issues and opportunities facing entrepreneurial women throughout Africa.
“The State of Entrepreneurship in South Africa” TEDX video with Abigail Khuluse corrects misconceptions about what drives entrepreneurship in South Africa.
Unbowed: A Memoir by Nobel Prize recipient Wangari Maathai tells her story from growing up in Kenya to her founding of the Greenbelt Movement in 1977.
Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees by Franck Prevot and illustrated by Aurelia Fronty brings Maathai’s story of the Green Belt Movement to younger learners.
“The Danger of a Single Story” TED Talk video by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie provides a reminder of the need to diversify representations of Africa and create spaces for narratives that are too often marginalized.
Voices from Africa: Colonized Women Talk Back from Howard University offers a three-part lesson plan on African women who challenged colonial rule, debunking the myth of submissive African women.

Episode Acknowledgements

Thanks to Adryan Wallace, Walter Mswaka, Thabiso Mahlape, Charlot Magayi, Rachel Laryea, Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho, Kaylene Stevens Petrin, and Taylor Collins for generously sharing their expertise and insights in this episode.

Thanks to Nico Rivers for audio editing, mixing, and mastering.

Special thanks to the Boston University Africa Studies Center and the Teaching Africa Outreach Program for collaborating and providing support for this podcast.

Image Credits

Photo of Adryan Wallace from Stony Brook University website.

Photo of Walter Mswake from Rollins College website.

Photo of Thabiso Mahlape from sheleadsafrica.org

Photo of Charlot Magayi from globalcitizen.org

Photo of Rachel Laryea from kelewelenyc.com

Photo of Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho from linkedin.com

“2017 African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program Product Showcase” by Exchange Photos, under Public Domain Dedication (CCO 1.0 Universal).

Featured Music

“Fogo” by Xylo-Ziko, from the album Polyrhythms, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International (CCBY-NC 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Jardin damour” by Barbara Kanam, from the album Pas de tigre en afrique, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial Share Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Oxum” by Terrero De Jesus, from the album Terrero De Jesus, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial No Derivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Ogum” by Terrero De Jesus, from the album Terrero De Jesus, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial No Derivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“LA Flux Ride- Winder Talker” by Flux Bikes, from the album Flux Bikes, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial No Derivs 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 US). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Lost My Mind (Good Riddance)” by Siddhartha Corsus, from the album Fragments of Light, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Mandlion in Zion” by MurJah Warriors, from the album Celebrity fever/ Reworks and dubs, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial No Derivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Xaleyi” by Youssoupha Sidibe, from the album Sacred Sound, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US).This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“The Fires of Your Peace” by Siddhartha Corsus, from the album Night Psalms, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Internaional (CC BY-NC 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Mwali” by Xylo-Ziko, from the album Polyrhythms, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International (CCBY-NC 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

Ending the Scramble: Decolonization Across Africa

African decolonization has a complex history, involving resistance against and liberation from European colonial subjugation. In this episode, we examine the political and cultural interplay between race, resistance, and decolonization across Africa while considering ways to teach about racism in classrooms today.

Guest Bios

Michael Ralph

Michael Ralph is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social and Cultural Analysis and the School of Medicine at New York University. His research integrates political science, economics, history, and medical anthropology through an explicit focus on debt, slavery, insurance, forensics, and incarceration. He is the author of Forensics of Capital (University of Chicago Press).

Julian Kenneth Braxton

Julian Kenneth Braxton is the Director of Community and Multicultural Affairs and a history instructor at the Winsor School in Boston, Massachusetts. Linda Morse is a social studies teacher at the Foxborough Regional Charter School in Foxborough, Massachusetts. J. Malcolm Cawthorne is the METCO Coordinator and a social studies teacher at Brookline High School in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Free Resources and Featured Books

Colonialism and Resistance is a resource collection compiled by the African Studies Center at Boston University. The collection includes lesson plans, literature lists, maps, and numerous other primary and secondary resources.
Colonization and Independence in Africa is a unit developed by The Choices Program at Brown University which features multiple lessons and a short video series.
Decolonization Resource Collection: Africa is a collection of primary sources, secondary sources, and books compiled by the National History Center.
Lesson of the Day: ‘A Continent Remade’ is a lesson produced by The New York Times focused on 1960, a year when 17 African countries would declare independence from colonial rule.
Decolonization: A Very Short Introduction by Dane Kennedy provides a succinct and scholarly overview of decolonization history with a global focus.
Things Fall Apart is Chinua Achebe’s first novel about Nigerian life before and during colonialism. The novel was published in 1958, two years before independence from Britain.

Episode Acknowledgements

Thanks to Michael Ralph, Julian Braxton, Linda Morse, and Malcolm Cawthorne for sharing their expertise in this episode.

Thanks to Nico Rivers for audio editing, mixing, and mastering.

Special thanks to the Boston University Africa Studies Center and the Teaching Africa Outreach Program for collaborating and providing support for this podcast.

Image Credits

“Southern Rhodesia” by John Flannery, under Creative Commons Attribution- ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0).
Photo of Michael Ralph provided by the New York University website.

Featured Music

“Lale Lale” by Imperial Tiger Orchestra from the album Ethio Event #1, under Creative Commons License Attribution No-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 Intrenational (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Lightstream” by Siddhartha Corsus from the album Constellations, under Creative Commons License Attribution No-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 Intrenational (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Song for Ramanujan (Saraswati Devi)” by Siddhatha Corsus from the album The Truth Within, under Creative Commons License Attribution No-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 Intrenational (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Oxum” by Terrero De Jesus from the album Terrero De Jesus, under Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial- NoDerivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Wheelin’ Guitar” by Flux Bikes from the album Flux Bikes, under Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial- No Derivs 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 US). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Chain Gang” by Flux Bikes from the album Flux Bikes under Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial- No Derivs 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 US). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Imperial Tiger Orchestra” by Noise Problems Selections from the album NP50 Selections Vol. 2, under Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial- NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Studio Mali-Wake Up- ‘It’s Africa Calling’” by IntraHealth International from the album Open Remix: To Benefit IntraHealth Open, under Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial- NoDerivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Sogue (Live @KEXP)” by Alpha Yaya Diallo from the album Live @KEXP under FMA- Limited: Download Only License.

“Fahi Guissee solo 2” by Bruce Miller from the album Fahi Guissee and Adama Ka- Jan. 7th, 2013 Diourbel, Senegal, under Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial- NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Tsuro Magena (Live @KEXP)” by Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited from the album Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited (Live @KEXP) 5/11/09, under FMA- Limited: Download Only License. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Allhou” by Salam from the album Salam, under Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial- ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Smile (Live @KEXP)” by Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars from the album Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars- Live @KEXP 6/15/2009, under FMA- Limited: Download Only Licence. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Too Thirsty to Drink Water” by Karl Blau from the album Bread-N-Grease, under Creative Commons Licence Attribution- NonCommercial- ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

Soundscapes of Protest: Music in Social Movements Across Africa

Art and culture often intersect with politics and music has been a potent instrument of social movements. In this episode, we explore recent historical and contemporary examples of protest music throughout Africa as musicians and communities turned their creative talents towards anticolonial, antiapartheid, and anti-corruption campaigns.

Guest Bios

Bode Omojola

Bode Omojola is the Five College Professor of Music. Professor Omojola’s teaching and research in ethnomusicology focuses on Nigerian music, with emphasis on West African, Nigerian, and Yorùbá traditions. Omojola is the author of Yorùbá Music in the Twentieth Century: Identity, Agency, and Performance Practice; Popular Music in Western Nigeria: Theme, Style, and Patronage System; The Music of Fela Sowande: Encounters, African Identity, and Creative Ethnomusicology; and Nigerian Art Music: with an Introductory Study of Ghanaian Art Music.

Nathaniel Braddock

Nathaniel Braddock is a musician, composer, and teacher. Braddock performs solo fingerstyle guitar and collaborates with Ghanaian, Zambian, Congolese musicians in numerous soukous, highlife, and jazz groups. Braddock has taught at the Passim School of Music in Cambridge, Massachusetts and the Old Town School of Folk Music and the Waldorf School in Chicago, Illinois.

Free Resources and Featured Books

Whether you’re new to teaching Africa, or just looking for new material to spice up your existing curricula, check out these free online resources for educators!

Sounds of Resistance: The Role of Music in Multicultural Activism edited by Eunice Rojas and Lindsay Michie. This book takes an international perspective on music in social movements with chapters focusing on anti-apartheid and Afrobeat music.
Music Beyond Borders: Music for Human Rights is a project organized by Janie Cole, an ethnomusicologist and historian. The project focuses on the study of musicians living under and creating music addressing oppressive regimes.
Decolonization Resource Collection: Africa is produced by the National History Center and offers a curated resource list of primary and secondary sources for teaching about decolonization struggles.
“Zimbabwe’s Powerful Music of Struggle” by Anakwa Dwamena provides an overview of chimurenga music, featuring the influence of artists such as Thomas Mapfumo.
“Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” performed by the Khayelitsha United Mambazo Choir.
Fela Kuti houses the music, biography, photography, and art associated with the Nigerian Afrobeat artist Fela Kuti.
“Beasts of No Nation” by Fela Kuti, a song against apartheid from the influential Beasts of No Nation album.
“‘Enough is Enough,’ Say Senegalize Rappers” by Ofeibea Quist-Arcton. This NPR article and audio clip offers an expose into the group, Y’en a Marre.

Episode Acknowledgements

Thanks to Bode Omojola and Nathaniel Braddock for sharing their expertise in this episode.

Thanks to Nico Rivers for audio editing, mixing, and mastering.

Special thanks to the Boston University Africa Studies Center and the Teaching Africa Outreach Program for collaborating and providing support for this podcast.

Image Credits

Photo of Bode Omojola provided by the University of Massachusetts Amherst website.

“fela kuti” by Patsy M_, under Creative Commons License Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0). This image has been adapted from the original by Nico Rivers.

Featured Music

“Subutex Mex (Nino Cosma)” by Chocolat Billy, from the album Delicat deni, under Creative Commons License Attribution No-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 Intrenational (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Chasse a l’homme” by Api Uiz, from the album Peplum, under Creative Commons License Attribution No-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 Intrenational (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Penny the Snitch” by Ikebe Shakedown on the album Live at WFMU for Sufrace Noise with Jo McGasko, 11/6/2017, under Creative Commons License Attribution No-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 Intrenational (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“The Ally” by Ikebe Shakedown on the album Live at WFMU for Sufrace Noise with Jo McGasko, 11/6/2017, under Creative Commons License Attribution No-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 Intrenational (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Barcelona Afrobeat 01” by Barcelona Afrobeat International Orchestra, from the album Live from the Sacred Fire Stage at the Boom Festival 2008, under Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Barcelona Afrobeat 06” by Barcelona Afrobeat International Orchestra, from the album Live from the Sacred Fire Stage at the Boom Festival 2008, under Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Barcelona Afrobeat 07” by Barcelona Afrobeat International Orchestra, from the album Live from the Sacred Fire Stage at the Boom Festival 2008, under Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Burning Van” by Big Mean Sound Machine, from the album Live on WFMU’s Transpacific Sound Paradise: Sep 19, 2015, under Creative Commons License Attribution No-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 Intrenational (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Banjo Basic Man (ID 703)” by Lobo Loco, from the album Hoh Hey, under Creative Commons License Attribution No-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 Intrenational (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Down the Yukon” by Los Mirnuls, from the album smic, under Attribution-Noncommercial 2.5 Switzerland License. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Kings of Krontjong” by Los Mirnuls, from the album smic, under Attribution-Noncommercial 2.5 Switzerland License. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Rokko” by Moro Kaju, from the album Rokko, under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Chéri ton disque est rayé” by Patience Dabany from the album Pas de tigre en afrique ?, under Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Tchakare Kanyembe track 07” by Tchakare Kanyembe from the album Live at Sacred Fire stage Boom 2008, under Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Picture Perfect” by Yung Kart from the album August 2019, under Creative Commons License Attribution No-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 Intrenational (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Zimbabwe” by Sandro Marinoni from the album Ten Little Songs, under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License. This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

Interconnected Africa: Movements Across the Indian and Atlantic Ocean Worlds

Africa’s global connections span millennia and have resulted in the development of sophisticated trade networks and cultural hybridity. In this episode, we examine two global systems of movement and exchange, focusing on the transport of material culture and goods in the Indian Ocean World and the transatlantic slave trade in the Atlantic World.

Guest Bios

Carina Ray

Carina Ray is an Associate Professor of African and African American Studies at Brandeis University.

Kristin Strobel

Kristin Strobel is a social studies teacher at Lexington High School in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Free Resources and Featured Books

Whether you’re new to teaching Africa, or just looking for new material to spice up your existing curricula, check out these free online resources for educators!

Indian Ocean in World History features teaching resources such as maps, videos, and lesson plans spanning the prehistoric era through the twentieth century.
Africa and the Indian Ocean World from Early Times to Circa 1900 by Gwyn Campbell. Campbell chronicles the ebbs and flows of the Indian Ocean World with an emphasis on human-environment interaction.
Transatlantic Africa 1440-1888 by Kwasi Konadu. Konadu’s scholarship features the narratives of Africans recounting their experiences in the transatlantic slave trade.
Abina and the Important Men: A Graphic History (Second Edition) by Trevor R. Getz and Liz Clarke. Recipient of the James Harvey Robinson Prize from the American Historical Association, this graphic history is based on an 1876 court transcript of a West African woman named Abina, following the case of her wrongful enslavement.
Kanga for Women – Kwanza, Tanzania by Ten Thousand Villages and produced by Natural Light Films. This film describes the origins of Kanga cloth and introduces Rose Makoyala, Manager of the Batik Centre in Dar es Salaam.
The Tanzania Experience, Khanga – clothing for Africa by Taher Nassrulla. This article describes how to identify Khanga and the many roles it plays in Tanzanian society.

Episode Acknowledgements

Thanks to Carina Ray and Kristin Strobel for sharing their expertise in this episode.

Thanks to Nico Rivers for audio editing, mixing and mastering.

Special thanks to the Boston University Africa Studies Center and the Teaching Africa Outreach Program for collaborating and providing support for this podcast.

Image Credits

Photo of Carina Ray provided by Brandeis University website.

“Africa!” by Vandy Massey, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).

Featured Music

“Bowmazan Ya Mahaba Bi Kidude Song” by The Sounds of Taraab, from the album Live at WFMU on Rob Weisberg’s Show on 4/7/2007, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commerical Share Alike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Bowmazan Ya Mahaba Bi Kidude Song” by The Sounds of Taraab, from the album Live at WFMU on Rob Weisberg’s Show on 4/7/2007, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commerical Share Alike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Enyi Wana Damu Sharmila and Black Star Orchestra” by The Sounds of Taraab, from the album Live at WFMU on Rob Weisberg’s Show on 4/7/2007, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commerical Share Alike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Lala Mpenzi Lala” by The Sounds of Taraab, from the album Live at WFMU on Rob Weisberg’s Show on 4/7/2007, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commerical Share Alike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Mahaba Wa Taka Nini” by The Sounds of Taraab, from the album Zanzibar, New York, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 U). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Eni Wana Damu” by The Sounds of Taraab, from the album Zanzibar, New York, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 U). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Kpanlogo” by Akoko Nante Ensemble, from the album Live on WFMU’s Transpacific Sound Paradse: Feb 6, 2016, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Bamaya” by Akoko Nante Ensemble, from the album Live on WFMU’s Transpacific Sound Paradse: Feb 6, 2016, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Bamaya” by Akoko Nante Ensemble, from the album Live on WFMU’s Transpacific Sound Paradse: Feb 6, 2016, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Bistoon” by Mamak Khadem, from the album Live at WFMU on Rob Weisberg’s Show on 10/4/2008, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commercial No-Derivatives 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Africa

Africa has disparagingly been referred to as the “Dark Continent,” concealing the fullness and diversity of its history, culture, and humanity. In this episode, we explore stereotypes about Africa and begin the process of dispelling them by listening to underappreciated narratives, showcasing Africa’s vibrancy and global interconnectedness. We are joined by Barbara Brown, Boston University’s Africa Studies Center, Amy Lake, Lee H. Kellogg School, and ten individuals with intimate connections to life and community throughout Africa.

Guest Bios

Barbara Brown

Barbara Brown is the retired Director of Outreach of the Teaching Africa Outreach Program at Boston University’s Africa Studies Center.

Amy Lake

Amy Lake is a social studies teacher at the Lee H. Kellogg School in Falls Village, CT.

Claude Kaitare

Claude Kaitare is an educator working with students to raise awareness about the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and genocide prevention. To learn more about Claude’s life in Rwanda and work with students visit his bio and view a video of him visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial.

Chris Ekawu

Chris Ekawu is a graduate student studying Sports Administration and Coaching at Montclair State University.

Driss Sene

Driss Sene is the owner and CEO of Maryama Beauty, a health and beauty brand.

Lina Ahmed

Lina Ahmed is an undergraduate student studying in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Chibuzor Eduzor

Chibuzor Eduzor is an undergraduate student studying in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Faduma Khalif

Faduma Khalif is an undergraduate student studying Computation and Cognition at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Diane Mwizerwa

Diane Mwizerwa is an undergraduate student studying in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Habeeb Salau

Habeeb Salau is an undergraduate student studying in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Hilary Tamirepi

Hilary Tamirepi is an undergraduate student studying in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Awele Uwagwu

Awele Uwagwu is an undergraduate student studying in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Free Resources and Featured Books

Whether you’re new to teaching Africa, or just looking for new material to spice up your existing curricula, check out these free online resources for educators!

Resources for Teachers provided by the Teaching Africa Outreach Program at the Boston University Africa Studies Center offers resources curated by grade level and topic. The Curriculum Guide, How Big is Africa?, features the “How Big is Africa?” poster produced by the Teaching Africa Outreach Program as well as six lessons and additional resources appropriate for students of different age levels.
Exploring Africa produced by the African Studies Center at Michigan State University is a curriculum organized by themes, regions, and disciplines and designed for K-12 classrooms.
Africa Guide provided by the University of Pennsylvania curates multimedia resources for K-12 teachers featuring lesson plans, webquests, and interactive tools.
Everyday Africa Curriculum is a Pulitzer Center guide that uses photographs to complicate representations of Africa, challenge stereotypes, and develop visual literacy skills.
“How to Write About Africa” by Binyavanga Wainaina. This satirical essay is a reminder of the inaccuracies of common tropes and misconceptions about Africa.
The Bright Continent: Breaking Rules & Making Change in Modern Africa by Dayo Olopade. This book examines ingenuity and problem-solving across Africa, focusing on the power of communities to innovate outside of state-sponsored programs and institutions.

Episode Acknowledgements

Thanks to Barbara Brown, Amy Lake, Claude Kaitare, Chris Ekawu, Dris Sene, Lina Ahmed, Chibuzor Eduzor, Faduma Khalif, Diane Mwizerwa, Habeeb Salau, Hilary Tamirepi, and Awele Uwagwu.

Thanks to Nico Rivers for audio editing, mixing and mastering.

Image Credits

Photo of Barbara Brown provided by Teaching Africa Outreach Program website.

Photo of Claude Kaitare provided by Claude Kaitare.

Featured Music

“Lunette” by Blue Dot Sessions from the album Architect, under Creative Commons Licence Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Track 04” by Tchakare Kanyembe from the album Live at Sacred Fire Stage Boom 2008, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Sacred Sound” by Youssoupha Sidibe from the album Sacred Sound, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Track 05” by Tchakare Kanyembe from the album Live at Sacred Fire Stage Boom 2008, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Celebrity Dub” by Nadoo from the album Celebrity Fever/Reworks and Dubs, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Tse Tse Kule/Los Dandies” by Akoko Nate Ensemble from the album Life on WFMU’s Transpacific Sound Paradise: February 6, 2016, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Haiti Mali” by Sidy Maiga from the album AS220 FOO FEST 2016 Sampler, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Love” by Youssoupha Sidibe from the album Sacred Sound, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Penny the Snitch” by Ikebe Shakedown from the Album Live at WFMU for Surface Noise with Joe McGasko, 11/6/2017, under Creative Commons License Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Maru Kiray” by Abdoulaye Alhassane Toure from the Album Live with Banning Eyre at WFMU on Transpacific Sound Paradise 5/19/09, under Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivs 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 US). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Sands of Windhoek” by Mid-Air Machine from the Album Everywhere Outside, under Creative Commons License Attribution Share Alike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.

“Wook” by Podington Bear from the Album Equatorial, under Creative Commons Licence Attribution Non-Commercial 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC 3.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.