Music to get in the mood for learning African politics ▶️ Kim Yi Dionne - January 4, 2024 Another good playlist!
African politics in 2022: More than coups and conflict Laura Seay and Kim Yi Dionne - December 29, 2022 The TMC 2022 roundups: African politics
Report exposes U.N. camp abuses, but research shows justice is elusive Audrey L. Comstock - September 28, 2022 Analysis of U.N. peacekeeping missions highlights the obstacles to justice facing sexual abuse victims
Today is International Day of Peace. Can you measure what peace is? Roger Mac Ginty and Pamina Firchow - September 21, 2022 One way is to see whether people feel safe going about their daily lives, the Everyday Peace Indicators project finds
What do Africans think about the proposed East African Federation? Mercy Kaburu and Carolyn Logan - September 9, 2022 An Afrobarometer survey suggests citizens aren’t aware of the plans for regional integration
What happens to childhood vaccine rates in conflict zones? This analysis found some surprises. Olga Shemyakina, Marijke Verpoorten, Henrik Urdal, Gudrun Østby, and Andreas Forø Tollefsen - February 2, 2022 We examined more than 200,000 records in 15 African countries
Germany convicted a Syrian man of war crimes in Syria. Can national courts prosecute injustices everywhere? Maximo Langer, Margaret E. Peters, and Leslie Johns - January 14, 2022 The landmark case invoked the principle of ‘universal jurisdiction’
The ICC case against Duterte’s drug war is on hold. That could hurt the court’s authority. Courtney Hillebrecht - December 5, 2021 A new book on backlash politics explains what this means for international justice.
Thousands of Eritreans fled repression at home. Many got caught up in Ethiopia’s fighting. Shannon Golden, Sarah Peters, Liyam Eloul, and Craig Higson-Smith - November 3, 2021 Past trauma and new threats are taking a toll on refugees’ mental health
South Sudan promised to investigate civil war atrocities. Why hasn’t that happened? Jacqueline R. McAllister - October 5, 2021 The peace deal included a plan for an Africa-led hybrid court
Kenya might expel refugees to their home countries Kristin Michelitch and Jeremy Horowitz - June 24, 2021 How do Kenyans view refugees — and what would boost public support for letting them stay?
Negotiating peace the same old way doesn’t work. Here’s what does. Séverine Autesserre - March 21, 2021 Over 20 years of research, these three things emerged as key to building a lasting peace
The pandemic has worsened Africa’s debt crisis. China and other countries are stepping in. Yufan Huang, Kevin Acker, and Deborah Bräutigam - February 25, 2021 Chinese banks have been restructuring African debt for the past two decades
A special Kosovo war crimes court will try its ex-president. So how do ‘hybrid’ courts work? Dennis R. Schmidt - November 22, 2020 Courts that are simultaneously domestic and international can help overcome suspicions about fairness
U.N. resolutions may seem like cheap talk. But they might actually work. Matthew Hauenstein and Madhav Joshi - September 21, 2020 The Security Council will discuss peace after the pandemic. Here’s what our analysis of 350 of its resolutions found.
How will China respond when low-income countries can’t pay their debts? Scott Wingo - June 30, 2020 Expect to see some leeway — but probably not forgiveness
Epidemics reveal underlying societal tensions. That was the case in Zimbabwe’s cholera outbreak, too. Emmanuel Balogun - June 12, 2020 “The Political Life of an Epidemic” is a particularly timely read.
How religion shapes Africans’ political behavior Laura Seay - June 4, 2020 “From Pews to Politics” offers unique insights
Announcing the 7th Annual TMC African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular! Laura Seay and Kim Yi Dionne - May 28, 2020 It’s summer, and that means we’re reading the latest and greatest books on African politics. Join us!
5 ways the coronavirus is making the world’s most vulnerable a lot more vulnerable Chen Reis - May 18, 2020 More people will need help — but wealthier nations may have less to give
Will lingering suspicions undermine public support for South Sudan’s peace? Prabin Khadka and Nicholas Haas - May 15, 2020 Here’s why leaders’ endorsements of peace policies can backfire
South Sudan’s peace process faces a February deadline. Could last summer’s flooding actually help? Matthew Hauenstein and Madhav Joshi - February 14, 2020 Natural disasters can help resolve conflict — sometimes
In 2019, the U.S. ranked as more corrupt on this international index. That happened last year, too. Dan Hough - January 24, 2020 It’s tough to measure corruption, but Transparency International’s annual scorecard gives trends to watch.
60 or so secessionist movements around the world want independence in 2020. Guess which one might succeed. Ryan Griffiths - January 3, 2020 International pressure helped these South Pacific islands move toward statehood
How Joseph Kony’s notorious Lord’s Resistance Army uses photographs as weapons Kristof Titeca - December 8, 2019 For decades, the Ugandan warlord has evaded capture. These rarely seen pictures have helped.
When poor countries build roads and schools, they are also building citizens Kim Yi Dionne - September 4, 2019 Here’s the final installment in this year’s TMC African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular
Here are the three new books you need to understand Nigeria Alexander Thurston - August 24, 2019 It’s the 11th installment of this year’s African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular! One’s an introduction, one explores Boko Haram and the third looks at the future of Nigeria’s democracy.
‘Strong NGOs and Weak States’ takes an intriguing look at the path of justice in Congo and South Africa Laura Seay - August 15, 2019 NGOs may wield more power than you think.
How did the Catholic Church respond to Africa’s decolonization? This new book explains. Laura Seay - August 7, 2019 “African Catholic” investigates the transformation of both church and politics.
This new book teaches you everything you need to know about African elections Kim Yi Dionne - August 1, 2019 Technical and demographic changes make this a timely publication.
Why South Sudan won the war but lost the peace Laura Seay - July 25, 2019 Peter Martell’s book on South Sudan is a must-read.
D-Day would be nearly impossible to pull off today. Here’s why. Danielle Lupton - June 5, 2019 ‘Loose lips sink ships’ — but so can social media
South Sudan is at risk of new conflict. Can the U.N. protect its civilians? Dr. Charles T. Hunt and Adam Day - April 17, 2019 The peace process has seen progress, but there could be a relapse.
4 in 10 Africans are deeply committed to democracy. That’s the good news. Robert Mattes - March 5, 2019 Afrobarometer finds that the level of commitment varies dramatically by country. Here’s the breakdown.
Here’s what can undermine peacekeeping missions Allard Duursma - December 18, 2018 [caption id="attachment_53427" align="aligncenter" width="960"] U.N. peacekeeping forces patrol during presidential
Would it be ethical for the U.N. refugee agency to send Rohingya back to Myanmar? Mollie Gerver - December 17, 2018 [caption id="attachment_81619" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Rohingya refugees shout slogans against repatriation
International peacebuilding really can build peace — but perhaps not how you expect Susanna Campbell - December 11, 2018 [caption id="attachment_73379" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Soldiers and police at the scene
What are the prospects for South Sudan’s new peace agreement? Here are the critical next steps. Matthew Hauenstein and Madhav Joshi - October 29, 2018 It’s been a month since South Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement
There’s another way to build peace. And it doesn’t come from the top down. Séverine Autesserre - October 23, 2018 [caption id="attachment_79254" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Women line up outside a polling
African countries have started to push back against Chinese development aid. Here’s why. Richard Aidoo - October 16, 2018 [caption id="attachment_78950" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Senegal President Macky Sall, left, and
This new history of Uganda is a must-read Laura Seay - August 17, 2018 [caption id="attachment_76401" align="aligncenter" width="180"] Cambridge University Press[/caption] Every January, I
By ending ‘temporary protected status’ for half a million people, Trump has probably increased illegal migration David Leblang, Ankita Satpathy, Alexa Iadarola, Ben Helms, Kelsey Hunt, Eric Xu, Rebecca Brough, and Mahesh Rao - August 7, 2018 Since taking office, President Trump has shown a firm commitment
China-Africa military ties have deepened. Here are 4 things to know. Lina Benabdallah - July 6, 2018 [caption id="attachment_75375" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Civilians sheltering in a U.N. base
How cheap oil hurts sub-Saharan Africa Emily Meierding - June 21, 2018 [caption id="attachment_74773" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Cranes line the skyline of downtown
Armed peacekeepers really do protect civilians — with one big exception Brandon Prins and Anup Phayal - June 14, 2018 [caption id="attachment_74396" align="aligncenter" width="960"] U.N. peacekeepers from Rwanda serve at
Catalonia is just the most recent referendum on sovereignty. Why are they proliferating? Micha Germann and Fernando Mendez - March 27, 2018 [caption id="attachment_71488" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Catalan regional police officers block the
Should U.N. peacekeepers launch preemptive strikes? The Cruz report seems to think so. Lise Howard - March 16, 2018 [caption id="attachment_70668" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A U.N. peacekeeper stands guard as
What the ‘s—hole’ debate gets wrong about Africa Christopher Day and Beth Whitake - January 18, 2018 [caption id="attachment_68183" align="aligncenter" width="960"] President Trump and Sen. Dick Durbin,
5 reasons the U.N. Security Council should care about the Burmese military’s sexual assaults on the Rohingya Rachel Vogelstein and Jamille Bigio - January 3, 2018 Burma’s ethnic cleansing campaign against Rohingya Muslims has been rife
Responding to Puerto Rico’s disaster is uniquely complex. But Trump is still falling short. Jeremy Konyndyk - September 29, 2017 [caption id="attachment_64261" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Marta Sostre Vazquez reacts as she
Kurdistan and Catalonia are voting on independence. Welcome to the age of secession. Ryan Griffiths - September 23, 2017 [caption id="attachment_63871" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A crowd of protesters gather outside
Hungary and Slovakia challenged Europe’s refugee scheme. They just lost badly. Melissa Carlson, Laura Jakli, and Katerina Linos - September 8, 2017 On Wednesday morning, the European Court of Justice turned down
Information technology can help build peace. This is how. Kristian Hoelscher and Jason Miklian - August 24, 2017 [caption id="attachment_62752" align="aligncenter" width="960"] An AH-64 Apache attack helicopter provides
Kenya votes amid a wave of violence. Here’s how that matters. Stephanie Burchard and Dorina Bekoe - August 2, 2017 [caption id="attachment_61711" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Members of civil society groups protest
China’s ‘Belt and Road’ opens up new business in Africa — for both the U.S. and China Janet Eom - July 24, 2017 [caption id="attachment_59157" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands
This is what we can learn from Joseph Kony’s bodyguard Laura Seay - July 21, 2017 [caption id="attachment_61206" align="aligncenter" width="192"] (Zed Books)[/caption] Five years after the
As the U.S. gets more involved in Somalia, beware these three fallacies Teresa Krug, Maximilian Meduna, and Michael Harsch - July 18, 2017 [caption id="attachment_61055" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Somali soldiers at the scene of
For now, the ANC’s support is holding steady — but that may not last. Here’s why. Grant Buckles - July 12, 2017 [caption id="attachment_60810" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Tens of thousands of South Africans
On South Sudan’s sixth birthday, here are 6 things you should know Sophia Dawkins - July 9, 2017 [caption id="attachment_60722" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A teacher leads a mixed class
Across the globe, governments are cracking down on civic organizations. This is why. Kendra Dupuy, James Ron, and Aseem Prakash - July 5, 2017 [caption id="attachment_60633" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A boy eats out of a
The Internet is changing civil wars. Watch out for these five trends. Barbara Walter - June 8, 2017 [caption id="attachment_59494" align="aligncenter" width="960"] South Sudanese refugees shelter from the
Three flawed ideas are hurting international peacebuilding Séverine Autesserre - March 15, 2017 [caption id="attachment_55314" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Members of former rebel groups wait
Will a cease-fire hold? Ask the stock market rather than the pundit. Gerald Schneider - February 16, 2017 [caption id="attachment_54182" align="aligncenter" width="960"] People wait for food on July
Is U.N. peacekeeping under fire? Here’s what you need to know. Anjali Dayal - February 1, 2017 [caption id="attachment_53427" align="aligncenter" width="960"] U.N. peacekeeping forces on patrol during
There’s more to measuring corruption than Transparency International’s annual index, just released Dan Hough - January 26, 2017 [caption id="attachment_53160" align="aligncenter" width="960"] An activist seeking more transparency in
It’s not just fake news. Even real news can warp political perceptions. Mareike Schomerus and Anouk Rigterink - January 9, 2017 [caption id="attachment_52165" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Then-South Sudan First Vice President Riek
Food scarcity causes conflicts — but so can food abundance. Here’s why. Ore Koren - November 23, 2016 [caption id="attachment_49828" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Displaced Iraqis receive food at a
This is what can we learn about ISIS from Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army Eleanor Beevor - October 22, 2016 [caption id="attachment_48328" align="aligncenter" width="960"] In this Nov. 12, 2006 file
Here’s what ordinary Arabs think about the Syrian refugee crisis Chris Tenove and Alexandra Siegel - September 19, 2016 [caption id="attachment_46446" align="aligncenter" width="584"] The text of the tweet translates
Kosovo’s parliament is being tear-gassed because of a border dispute. Here’s how it could get worse. Sandra Joireman - September 8, 2016 [caption id="attachment_45958" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Kosovo police officers in gas masks
South Sudan is fighting again. Can its peacekeeping mission work? Nina McMurry and Laura Bosco - September 1, 2016 [caption id="attachment_45849" align="aligncenter" width="960"] In this July 25 photo, a
Most nations going to the Olympics won’t bring home a medal. Here’s why they compete anyway. Danyel Reiche - August 4, 2016 [caption id="attachment_44857" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A man poses in front of
How do you forecast a coup? Don’t forget on-the-ground sources. Richard Gowan - July 26, 2016 [caption id="attachment_44462" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Supporters of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Three important points to help in understanding South Sudan’s worsening crisis Mark Massoud - July 12, 2016 [caption id="attachment_43613" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A girl waits to be called
Yes, Central African Republic is a real country. But it’s a very different kind of country. Tatiana Carayannis and Louisa Lombard - June 17, 2016 [caption id="attachment_42268" align="aligncenter" width="303"] (Courtesy of the authors)[/caption] When ousted
This is what the conviction of Chad’s former dictator means for African human rights Elise Keppler - June 10, 2016 [caption id="attachment_41896" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Chad's former dictator Hissène Habré raises
Five things you should know about the World Humanitarian Summit Jessica Anderson - May 19, 2016 [caption id="attachment_40800" align="aligncenter" width="960"] The migration crisis poses enormous challenges
Why Kenya’s threat to close its refugee camps is even worse than you think Stephanie Schwartz - May 11, 2016 [caption id="attachment_40399" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Somali refugee girls attend Koran classes
Here’s this year’s (flawed) Corruption Perception Index. Those flaws are useful. Dan Hough - January 27, 2016 On Wednesday, Transparency International (TI), the world’s leading anti-corruption organization, is
How can universities deal with racism? Learn from war zones. Mark Massoud - December 7, 2015 [caption id="attachment_33199" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Students gather at the entrance of
Gawker got pranked. Kony isn’t looking for peace. Here are the facts. Ledio Cakaj - November 5, 2015 [caption id="attachment_31762" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Lord's Resistance Army leader Joseph Kony
Once a killer, always a killer? Here are 4 lessons about stopping mass violence. Aliza Luft - October 29, 2015 [caption id="attachment_31458" align="aligncenter" width="531"] A picture taken at the Murambi
A new project wants to forecast mass killings before they happen. Here's how. John Sides - September 24, 2015 [caption id="attachment_27291" align="aligncenter" width="908"] A Muslim woman visits the Potocari
A new project wants to forecast mass killings before they happen. Here’s how. John Sides - September 24, 2015 [caption id="attachment_27291" align="aligncenter" width="908"] A Muslim woman visits the Potocari
Should you worry about China's investments in Africa? - September 9, 2015 [caption id="attachment_29228" align="aligncenter" width="3000"] South Sudan's President Salva Kiir, right,
Should you worry about China’s investments in Africa? Hilary Matfess - September 9, 2015 [caption id="attachment_29228" align="aligncenter" width="3000"] South Sudan's President Salva Kiir, right,
South Sudan's leaders just signed a peace deal. Will it work? Laura Seay - August 27, 2015 [caption id="attachment_28967" align="aligncenter" width="908"] South Sudan's President Salva Kiir (right)
South Sudan’s leaders just signed a peace deal. Will it work? Stephanie Schwartz - August 27, 2015 [caption id="attachment_28967" align="aligncenter" width="908"] South Sudan's President Salva Kiir (right)
Talking about war makes it more likely. Look at South Sudan. Mareike Schomerus and de Vries - August 17, 2015 [caption id="attachment_28610" align="aligncenter" width="3264"] Mundri, South Sudan, December 8, 2014.
Do-gooders, do no harm: What are the best — and worst — ways to help those mired in international conflicts? Laura Seay and de Waal - July 17, 2015 [caption id="attachment_27514" align="aligncenter" width="908"] In this photo taken Friday, June
How to really help the world's new refugees - July 8, 2015 [caption id="attachment_27120" align="aligncenter" width="908"] A Syrian Kurdish woman sits next
How to really help the world’s new refugees Adam Lichtenheld - July 8, 2015 [caption id="attachment_27120" align="aligncenter" width="908"] A Syrian Kurdish woman sits next
We predicted Burundi's crisis. Is the response working? Laura Seay - June 11, 2015 [caption id="attachment_25909" align="aligncenter" width="5760"] Soldiers clear a roadblock set by
We predicted Burundi’s crisis. Is the response working? Cameron Hudson - June 11, 2015 [caption id="attachment_25909" align="aligncenter" width="5760"] Soldiers clear a roadblock set by
Using opinion surveys to monitor the U.N.’s sustainable development goals Pippa Norris - April 28, 2015 [caption id="attachment_24021" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Ronald Inglehart and other members
Will Sudan's elections change anything? Laura Seay - April 15, 2015 [caption id="attachment_23733" align="aligncenter" width="620" class="align center "] An official explains
Will Sudan’s elections change anything? Stephanie Schwartz - April 15, 2015 [caption id="attachment_23733" align="aligncenter" width="620" class="align center "] An official explains
Why extremism thrives in the Middle East today Barbara Walter - February 12, 2015 [caption id="attachment_21183" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Members of al Nusra Front drive
South Sudan's warring parties agree to agree on a peace agreement Laura Seay - February 5, 2015 [caption id="attachment_20932" align="aligncenter" width="620"] South Sudanese President Salva Kiir (L)
South Sudan’s warring parties agree to agree on a peace agreement Lesley Warner - February 5, 2015 [caption id="attachment_20932" align="aligncenter" width="620"] South Sudanese President Salva Kiir (L)