Abstract

“Africa Uprising” chronicles the ongoing third wave of African protest situating it within a long history of African revolt. Since 2005, there have been more than 90 mass protests in over 40 African countries. Drawing on seminal debates between African political thinkers, the authors argue that protest in Africa is shaped by three separate dilemmas: 1. The choice of armed versus unarmed resistance, 2. The division between urban and rural populations, and 3. The division within the urban population. Based on interviews with activists and participants, the book documents recent and ongoing protest movements in Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda and Nigeria.

Zachariah Mampilly is Director of the programme in Africana Studies and Associate Professor of Political Science and International Studies at Vassar College. From 2012 to 2013 he was a Fulbright Visiting Professor at the Department of Political Science, University of Dar es Salaam. He is the author of ‘Rebel Rulers: Insurgent Governance and Civilian Life during War’ as well as articles and essays on the history and politics of Africa and South Asia.