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For centuries, woman-to-woman marriage has offered women in west Africa a way to gain power in deeply patriarchal societies. Far from a romantic union, woman-marriage is a strategic tool for female agency. Historian Bright Alozie explains how the practice works, how colonialism distorted it, and why it still matters today.
By the end of 2025, 42 African countries will have held national elections - but do the resulting parliaments truly reflect their people? African politics scholars compared legislators and voters across 17 countries - revealing both striking similarities and major gaps.
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Moina Spooner
Assistant Editor
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Bright Alozie, Portland State University
Woman-to-woman marriage exemplifies the flexibility of African gender constructs. It’s an assertion of female agency.
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Robert Mattes, University of Strathclyde ; Matthias Krönke, University of Reading; Shaheen Mozaffar, Bridgewater State University
Members of parliaments across Africa face regular accusations of being unrepresentative of their constituents.
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Politics
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Peter Vale, University of Pretoria
The consensus is that it was Ebrahim Rasool’s responsibility to hold his tongue, a kind of golden rule in diplomacy.
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Madhav Joshi, University of Notre Dame
The ongoing crisis in South Sudan has been long in the making – its roots lie in a faltering peace implementation process.
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Douglas Yates, American Graduate School in Paris (AGS)
Whoever wins the upcoming presidential election, Gabon’s people will see a new government run by members of the former one.
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Gedion Onyango, London School of Economics and Political Science
Acknowledgement of corruption within courts is a positive step, but the chief justice must embrace more radical approaches.
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David E Kiwuwa, University of Nottingham
Rwanda’s involvement in the DRC has damaged the goodwill it used to enjoy from western powers.
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Science + Technology
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Carina Schlebusch, Uppsala University; Cesar Fortes-Lima, Johns Hopkins University; Viktor Černý, Charles University
Genetic insights into the Fulani people not only illuminate their biological history but also enrich our understanding of their cultural and historical narratives.
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Health + Medicine
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Leila Patel, University of Johannesburg; Matshidiso Valeria Sello, University of Johannesburg; Sadiyya Haffejee, University of Johannesburg
Fragmentation of services is a barrier in addressing severe child poverty.
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Delia Grace, International Livestock Research Institute ; Hung Nguyen-Viet, International Livestock Research Institute ; Steve Staal, International Livestock Research Institute
How can the benefits and risks of wild meat consumption be balanced to protect human health, wildlife and the environment?
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Tim Baker, Karolinska Institutet; Karima Khalid, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
A study found 69% of critically ill patients in African countries were treated in general hospital wards.
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Arts, Culture + Society
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Lucy Durán, SOAS, University of London
The famous blind couple, Amadou & Mariam, helped take Mali’s rich musical traditions to a new global audience.
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Business + Economy
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Wandile Sihlobo, Stellenbosch University
Diversifying exports takes time; what needs to be in place to achieve this?
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Wandile Sihlobo, Stellenbosch University
Holding the G20 presidency this year, South Africa is well positioned to push for new ways to boost agricultural productivity and enhance food security in Africa.
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Climate
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Anthony Black, University of Cape Town; Glen Robbins, University of Amsterdam; Sören Scholvin, Universidad Católica del Norte
Researchers warn that South Africa and Chile should avoid taking out huge loans to set up green hydrogen industries.
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Environment + Energy
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Kiran Tota-Maharaj, Royal Agricultural University; Upaka Rathnayake, Atlantic Technological University; Colin Hills, University of Greenwich; Oluwatoyin Ajibade, London South Bank University; Shanika Arachchi, Atlantic Technological University
Refugee camps in Ethiopia need to be made more liveable. Creating wetlands to provide greenery, absorb flash floods and purify polluted water may help.
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Gabriel Okello, University of Cambridge
Uganda has 1.4 million petrol-fuelled motorbikes in its public transport system that all need to go electric to reduce global warming and air pollution.
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Melanie Murcott, University of Cape Town
A recent South African court judgment shows that the right to have the environment protected for the benefit of present and future generations is being upheld.
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22 April - 29 May 2025
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Cape Town
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23 April 2025
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Johannesburg
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2 - 3 May 2025
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Johannesburg
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