Lilian Thuram’s burden
Why should black players have the burden of calling out racism, while white players don't feel compelled to do the same?
Politics
Revisiting Sweden’s colonial past
The image of a benevolent, preternaturally anti-racist “good old Sweden,” spreading its perfect democracy around the world, is fiction.
My New York Times column about Cape Town
The author wrote a column about racial and class inequalities in the city where he lived. The usual backlash by those in power followed.
File under: Dutch Liberalism
No, there's is not a vigorous debate on blackface and racism in the Netherlands. Instead it's the usual duplicity of Dutch liberals.
Canada’s “Somali Problem”
Racism against Somali Canadians is a real problem. It is present not only on the right, but the left as well.
Africa and the Future
An interview with Achille Mbembe, including on the consequences of global capitalism on the continent.
Morbid nostalgia
What's wrong with the 'Africa' journalism of Aidan Hartley, a staple in rightwing UK media like 'The Spectator' and 'The Daily Mail."
What happened to Mbuyisa Makhubo?
A youth activist that came to prominence in the 1976 student uprising in South Africa has been missing since 1978.
Julius Malema’s EFF and the South African Left
It is not often that analysts of diametrically opposed ideological tastes in South Africa agree, except about Julius Malema.
The New Yorker and the Mercenaries
An open letter to the New Yorker over its approving coverage of mercenary-activity-for-humanitarian-intervention, despite its record of failure in Central Africa.
How about booking a night in this ‘shantytown’?
A resort in South Africa's Free State province offers guests accommodation in "a Basotho village and a shantytown." Who comes up with this offensive stuff?
Diagnosing the World’s Mental Health
Journalists are still keen to prod the soft spot of their readers' insecurities around mental illness, with the fear mongering undertone of 'it could happen to you.'
The increasingly shaky edifice of Luanda
How Nito Alves has become the symbol of a slowly emerging movement that has shaken the Angolan government’s narrative of post-conflict stability.
Anthony Bourdain goes to South Africa
For his CNN food travel show, Bourdain picks black Gauteng rather than pretend-European Cape Town and the Western Cape.
Against the Gospel of “Africa Rising”
The World Bank and IMF have waged a sustained assault on African public services over several decades, and have never been called to account for the profound and lasting damage they have done.
Kwadwo Asamoah makes it 150 appearances in Serie A
Asamoah, who just achieved milestone of 150 Serie A appearances, is not shy about publicly sharing his good fortune. He is a relentless tweeter, sharing pics of teammates including one of his son with Giorgio Ciellini (“Beauty and the Beast“), meeting the king of the Asante or — that staple of West African footballers — professing his love of Jesus (serial hashtag: #BecauseofHim).
The most superficial politician in South Africa
Mmusi Maimane, despite his apparent reputation in opposition circles as a “man of the people,” appears to possess a rather limited political imagination.
Capitalizing on a mess
Johannesburg: the city where criminals don’t discriminate, but property developers do.
The first rules of Halloween
As a public service, we will, every year around Halloween, share this guide on how not to embarrass yourself or offend anyone.
How serious is Renamo’s pro-war rhetoric?
One mitigating factor: The Mozambican opposition movement is weak—in terms of political impact, financial resources, popular support, and military resources.