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New Books in African Studies

Marshall Poe
Colonialism
Decolonization
Ghana
Africa
Rwanda
Pan-Africanism
Slavery
Migration
Atlantic Slave Trade
South Africa
West Africa
Afrofrench Narratives
British Empire
Apartheid
African Diaspora
Literature
Namibia
Social Movements
Hakeem Olajuwon
Brazil

This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field. Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: newbooksnetwork.com Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to ge... more

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Artwork for New Books in African Studies

Latest Episodes

After Barbary: Algeria's Roles in the French and American Empires (Cornell University Press, 2025) by Dr. Timothy Mason Roberts explores the connection between the United States and North Africa between the Barbary Wars of the early nineteenth centur... more

In a world marked by increasingly destructive ecological and meteorological upheavals, Cyclonic Lives in an Indian Ocean World: Environment, Disaster, and Identity in Modern Mauritius (Ohio UP, 2026) by Dr. Robert Rouphail offers a historical analysi... more

Samiha Rahman’s Black Muslim Freedom Dreams: Islamic Education, Pan-Africanism, and Collective Care (New York University Press, 2026) follows three generations of Black American Muslims as they pursue education through the Tijani Sufi order in Medina... more

What explains the growing tension between young people and democracy in Africa? Why are some increasingly frustrated, disengaged, or even open to authoritarian alternatives?

In this episode, Temitayo Odeyemi speaks with Cynthia Mbamalu about how you... more

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Recent Guests

Rob Rouphail
Assistant professor of African history, global history, environmental history
University of Iowa
Episode: Robert Rouphail, "Cyclonic Lives in an Indian Ocean World: Environment, Disaster, and Identity in Modern Mauritius" (Ohio UP, 2026)
Samiha Rahman
Assistant Professor, Department of Human Development, California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach
Episode: Samiha Rahman, "Black Muslim Freedom Dreams: Islamic Education, Pan-Africanism, and Collective Care" (NYU Press, 2026)
Cynthia Mbamalu
Lawyer and civic leader, co-founder and director of programs at YIAGA Africa
YIAGA Africa
Episode: Young People and Democracy in Africa: Between Engagement and Disillusionment
Mariam Goshadze
Author of The Noise Silence Makes, Secularity and Ghana's Drum Wars
Leipzig University
Episode: Mariam Goshadze, "The Noise Silence Makes: Secularity and Ghana's Drum Wars" (Duke UP, 2025)
Ivan Vladislavić
South African novelist, essayist and editor
Fitz University, Johannesburg (professor)
Episode: Place Presents Itself To You in Fragments: Ivan Vladislavić and Jeanne-Marie Jackson (MAT)
Jeremy Harding
Writer and author of Analogue Africa: Notes on the Anti-Colonial Imagination
Verso (publisher) / Author
Episode: Jeremy Harding's Analogue Africa: Notes on the Anti-Colonial Imagination
Vance Smith
Professor of English and former Director of Medieval Studies at Princeton University
Princeton University
Episode: D. Vance Smith, "Atlas’s Bones: The African Foundations of Europe" (U Chicago Press, 2025)
Noo Saro-Wiwa
Author and journalist
Author of The Burning Ground
Episode: Oil and Militancy in Nigeria: A Conversation with Noo Saro-Wiwa
Michael Tuck
Author and historian
Brill (publisher)
Episode: Michael W. Tuck, "The Castle Slaves of the Gambia River: A Creole Community in the Eighteenth Century Atlantic World" (Brill, 2026)

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 96 ratings
  • Colonial, White Perspective

    Just listened to the podcast episode called “The Future of Africa: a Discussion with James A Robinson” and it was the most colonial, white-supremist perspective I’ve ever heard of. James A Robinson needs to read “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa” by Walter Rodney and stop acting like it’s Africa’s fault for not having technological and societal advancements in the same way Europe & Asia did. Any “advancement”Europe had was not just happenstance, but entirely because of the domination and extract... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Keahileo
    United States3 years ago
  • Great listening

    👍🏻

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BurtonR
    Australia4 years ago
  • Max Siollun’s book interview!

    Max Siollun carried the interview, he was both enthusiastic and current. I can’t wait to read his latest book “What Britain did to Nigeria.”

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    T Drinker
    United States5 years ago
  • Reviewer’s tone

    I especially enjoy the reviews given pre-2019. The hosts were better public speakers in the beginning of this series. Any interview conducted by Host Nicholas Walton was a great!

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    T Drinker
    United States5 years ago
  • Excellent podcast

    This is an excellent podcast. Always interesting book topics and insightful q

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JasonByrne film
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audio quality can vary across episodes, but content is consistently thorough.
Guests are often leading academics, offering substantial insights into their books.
The host lineup brings broad interdisciplinary viewpoints and rigorous questioning.
Engaging, deep dives into African scholarship with strong guest diversity.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Robert Rouphail, "Cyclonic Lives in an Indian Ocean World: Environment, Disaster, and Identity in Modern Mauritius" (Ohio UP, 2026)
Q: Could you start us off by introducing yourself and tell us why you decided to write this book?
Rob Rouphail discusses his background as a historian of African, global, and environmental history, his long-standing interest in the Indian Ocean, and how his work on disaster history connects to questions of identity, diaspora, and mobility in Mauritius.
Jeremy Harding's Analogue Africa: Notes on the Anti-Colonial Imagination
Q: How do you see agency functioning across the figures you discuss, especially in relation to propaganda and artistic integrity?
Agency appears as a persistent theme where producers weighed their ethical and aesthetic commitments, sometimes engaging in propaganda to advance political goals, but always wrestling with staying true to their artistic values while supporting the struggle for decolonization.
Jeremy Harding's Analogue Africa: Notes on the Anti-Colonial Imagination
Q: Could you define what is meant by analog Africa and what you mean by the anti-colonial imagination?
Analogue Africa links historical media practices with anti-colonial thought, showing how photography, film, and print shaped cultural resistance; the anti-colonial imagination refers to a broad, ongoing project by artists and writers who imagined and contested decolonization on their own terms.
Place Presents Itself To You in Fragments: Ivan Vladislavić and Jeanne-Marie Jackson (MAT)
Q: How do inventories and lists function in your writing across the years?
Inventories and lists serve multiple roles: they structure movement through the text, provide a documentary feel, and reveal the tension between the dreamlike and the practical, with lists often destabilizing linear narrative and prompting readers to resee the world.
Place Presents Itself To You in Fragments: Ivan Vladislavić and Jeanne-Marie Jackson (MAT)
Q: What defines Johannesburg as a literary city for you?
Johannesburg is a changeable place that doesn't reveal itself easily; the city requires a writer to piece together fragments from maps, memory, and lived experience to form a coherent narrative.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About New Books in African Studies

What is New Books in African Studies about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show features in-depth conversations with scholars, authors, and researchers about recent books and major themes in African studies, including history, literature, religion, politics, and culture. Episodes commonly center on how texts illuminate social change, decolonization, governance, and regional developments across Africa and the diaspora. A notable strength is bringing rigorous academic insight to accessible, interview-driven discussions, often pairing a researcher with a specialist host to unpack complex ideas, archival sources, and methodological choices. Listeners can expect thoughtful, evidence-based analysis, cross-disciplinary perspectives, and a strong emphasis on Africa-focused scholarship and its global connections. This ... more

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1. New Books in Critical Theory
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3. Politics Theory Other
4. Jacobin Radio
5. The LRB Podcast

How many episodes of New Books in African Studies are there?

New Books in African Studies launched 15 years ago and published 878 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on New Books in African Studies?

Recent guests on New Books in African Studies include:

1. Rob Rouphail
2. Samiha Rahman
3. Cynthia Mbamalu
4. Mariam Goshadze
5. Ivan Vladislavić
6. Jeremy Harding
7. Vance Smith
8. Noo Saro-Wiwa

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