African Arguments is a pan-African platform for news, investigation and opinion. We seek to analyse issues facing the continent, investigate the stories that matter, and amplify a diversity of voices.
While big news organisations break the news, African Arguments breaks down the news. We do this through our extensive network of journalists, researchers and commentators. We examine the major events making the headlines – adding much-needed nuance, complexity and context – while at the same time shining a light on under-covered issues some would rather were kept in the dark. We cover topics related to politics, economics, gender, the environment, culture, social affairs and much more.
African Arguments also provides a crucial and unique platform for predominantly African writers to reach a predominantly African, and international, audience. 80-90% of our articles are by authors of African descent, as are the majority of our readers.
African Arguments also hosts the sub-section Debating Ideas, which offers more academic discussions around the African Arguments book series
African Arguments is an editorially-independent platform hosted by the Royal African Society (RAS). It was co-founded with The World Peace Foundation and International Africa Institute.
Our current and past funders include:
- Open Society Foundation
- Miles Morland Foundation
- Garfield Weston Foundation
- Energy Transition Fund
- Africa No Filter
- Oxfam
- Open Society Initiative
- Humanity United
- US Institute of Peace
- Expertise on Central Africa
- Nigeria Leadership Initiative
- University of Edinburgh
- SOAS, University of London
Articles are published on a Creative Commons licence.
Team
Managing & Climate Editor: James Wan ([email protected])
Politics & Society Editor: Parselelo Kantai ([email protected])
“African Arguments is one of my rare reliable sources of in-depth, well-researched, and timely investigations about major events and leading debates…Its audacious boldness includes comprehensive analyses of widely silenced, invisibilised, and tabooed issues. Being an online platform facilitates easy access while one is at home in Africa, and when one is temporarily in exile or even permanently embedded in networks of African diasporas…
Even I drew lessons and gained confidence in the process when working [as a writer and guest editor] with [editor] James Wan.”
Stella Nyanzi, medical anthropologist, radical queer feminist scholar, social justice activist, human rights defender, non-violent protester, poet.
“African Arguments is a ‘must read‘ for anyone who truly wants to understand Africa today. It brings African voices and perspectives about key issues in an original, insightful and impactful way. “
Zeinab Badawi, award-winning BBC journalist.
“African Arguments is one of the truly valuable resources for Africa watchers. Inevitably succinct and well-argued. I have found the releases invaluable and treat them as high level briefings.”
Stephen Chan, Professor of World Politics at SOAS, University of London.
“With a mix of traditional journalistic skills, compelling expressions, and unmistakable clarity, African Arguments has succeeded in giving strength to unheard voices of great importance…Writing for African Arguments has been a watershed moment in my short journalism career. I have developed the confidence to put the spotlight on issues that would otherwise have remained in the shadows…African Arguments is an amazing news organ.”
Nalova Akua, Cameroonian journalist and winner of the 2022 Michael Elliott Award and 2022 Wache Francis Young Journalist Award for an article with African Arguments.
“African Arguments is an excellent platform that provides diverse voices analysing a broad range of developments across the continent. A helpful source because of its many facets of stories, well-researched with rich investigative analysis that rises above the superficial to explain developments across Africa’s varied continent. Useful too because it provides important and insightful policy analysis that makes it a good source for decision-makers working on the continent.”
Comfort Ero, President & CEO, International Crisis Group
“African Arguments is an invaluable source of information for the general public but also for journalists like us. It manages to recruit the best writers in a wide range of African countries, who produce outstanding journalism.”
Ana Carbajosa, Editor-in-Chief, Planeta Futuro, El Pais.