Politics & Governance / Political Philosophy & Theory / Power & Governance Theory

What Africa's Buildings REVEAL About Its Power & Identity

Architecture and Politics in Africa: Making, Living and Imagining Identities through Buildings

Joanne Tomkinson, Daniel Mulugeta, Julia Gallagher

Forget what you thought you knew about African politics. It's not just about leaders and policies; it's etched into the very buildings that define its cities and landscapes. This deep dive reveals how architecture in Africa is far from a neutral backdrop. Instead, it's a powerful, often silent, agent of political will, a battleground for identity, and a living archive of colonial legacies and struggles for decolonization. We'll challenge simplistic narratives and uncover the complex relationship between power, people, and the built environment.Explore how national elites use grand architectural projects to project global ambition and national pride, even as they navigate reliance on foreign funding and expertise. From Ethiopia's Bole Airport symbolizing sovereign success despite foreign aid, to Ghana's controversial National Cathedral used as a political tool, and Malawi's Chinese-built parliament exposing the silent surrender of sovereignty, we'll see how buildings are *made* to serve political agendas. We'll also examine the failures of Ghana's public housing, which became a symbol of "dependent urbanization" and the stifling of local innovation.Discover how ordinary citizens *live* with and within these powerful structures. In Ivory Coast, the opulent yet decaying national buildings create a paradox of pride and anxiety. Zimbabwe's Sam Levy Village, a "little England" shopping center, reveals how colonial racial segregation was subtly transformed into economic class divides. We'll witness the radical decolonization of knowledge spaces in Kenya's public libraries, where activists reclaim history by purging colonial texts. And in a chilling exposé from South Africa, learn how seemingly neutral architectural elements in detention centers became complicit agents in violence and the concealment of crimes during apartheid.By the end, you'll gain a profound, anti-commonsense understanding of how Africa's past and present are literally *built* into its future, offering a richer perspective on nationhood, power dynamics, and the enduring legacies of colonialism.This exploration is inspired by the insights from "Architecture and Politics in Africa: Making, Living and Imagining Identities through Buildings," edited by Joanne Tomkinson, Daniel Mulugeta, and Julia Gallagher.