Dorothy Hodgson (Anthropology, Rutgers) on Maasai pastoralists in Tanzania, with a focus on the experiences and perspectives of women. She discusses the intersections of gender, ethnicity, and Christianity, and then turns to the subject of her new book, Being Maasai, Becoming Indigenous, which explores local activists’ engagement with the transnational indigenous rights movement.

Africa Past and Present: Episode 51 [ 31:19 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Thabo Dladla, Conti Khubeka and Zeph Mthembu on the potential impact of the 2010 World Cup on grassroots soccer in South Africa. All three men are former professional players now coaching youths. What does 2010 mean to these elders of the game? Will the tournament address the legacy of apartheid and the new challenges of globalization? Putting people before profits, Dladla says, is necessary to effect positive social change.

Africa Past and Present: Episode 41 [ 33:50 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Kiki Edozie (James Madison College at MSU) compares recent corruption scandals in Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya.  She argues that democratic crises are closely tied to economic crises. At the end, the implications of these processes for African politics are considered.

Africa Past and Present: Episode 15 [ 32:33 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Bill Derman (Anthropology, MSU) talks about his recent volume on Conflicts Over Land and Water in Africa (2007). He examines the role of government policies, local farmers, and chiefs in land reform in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Derman then shares his observations of refugee flows, and points to the sensitive position of researchers working in the changing political context of southern Africa.

Africa Past and Present: Episode 13 [ 27:47 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download