Special series
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Western Sahara: Natives of the desert, natives of Africa?
The identity of the Saharawi people is rooted not just in language, customs and history, but solidarity. This is the final article in the ... -
A love letter to Kiswahili, those who speak it, and those who think they do
Full of subtleties and triple entendres, threats and assurances, Kiswahili is not one language, but many (…some versions better than others). This is the ... -
How Amharic unites – and divides – Ethiopia
The emperors made us speak one language to bring us together. It failed, but it also succeeded. This is the fifth article in the ... -
Nu tou Creole: Are we Mauritians really African?
The Kreol language binds Mauritius’ diverse communities together and links us all, inescapably, to our country’s African origins. This is the fourth article in ... -
Hope, promise and folly: What South Africa’s embrace of Kiswahili means
South Africa’s relationship with the rest of Africa is often conflicted. The decision to teach Kiswahili in schools gives a glimpse into what could ... -
For Naija, We Dey Kampe
Adaptable, jazz-like and subversive. How Pidgin English, the language of Fela Kuti, turns competitors into comrades in Nigeria. This is the second article in ... -
Living in Translation
Welcome to a new series of articles, guest edited by Nanjala Nyabola, exploring the worlds our languages have built across Africa. This is the ... -
A Cruel April in the Sudan Spring?
The new rivalries at the top. An aborted revolution. And the international actors jostling for dominance. On 11 April, following six days of protests, ... -
The Abiy Doctrine: One year of Ethiopia’s new foreign policy
It’s not just domestically that the new Prime Minister has shaken things up in his first year. This article was made possible by the ... -
Eritrea: Why change abroad doesn’t mean change at home
Eritrea’s recent foreign policy shifts have been driven by President Afwerki and his Red Sea allies. Neither has an interest in Eritrea democratising. This ...
