 | |
| Author | Mahmood Mamdani |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | Princeton Studies in Culture/Power/History |
| Publisher | Princeton University Press |
Publication date | 1996 |
| Publication place | United States |
| ISBN | 978-0-691-01107-3 |
| 320.9609045 | |
| LC Class | JV246 .M35 |
Citizen and Subject: Contemporary Africa and the Legacy of Late Colonialism is a 1996 book by the Ugandan political scientist Mahmood Mamdani, published by Princeton University Press. [1]
The book gained renewed attention with media interest in the American politician Zohran Mamdani's election as mayor of New York, highlighting his intellectual background through his father Mahmood Mamdani's works and the role of the academic and cultural environment in which he was raised in shaping his interest in issues of justice and citizenship. [2]
The book is divided into two sections and eight chapters.
The book Citizen and Subject has received widespread scholarly and cultural attention especially African and Arab circles, and several researchers have regarded it as an important intellectual contribution to understanding the modern African state and the legacy of colonial administration. In his introduction to the Arabic translation, Helmy Shaarawi praised the depth of Mamdani's research experience, emphasizing that his analysis extends beyond the political dimension to address the social and cultural aspects that shape the identity of African societies. Shaarawi considered the book a continuation of Mamdani’s long-standing work on Africa's social and political heritage, alongside his previous studies on population control, class formation in Uganda, the conflict in Darfur, and social movements on the continent. [6] The book has been recognized as a significant contribution to the critique of sources of despotism in post-independence states, examining the relationship between centralization and decentralization, the structure of local authorities, the role of traditional leaders, and the impact of integrating African communities into the colonial capitalist market. Additionally, Mamdani’s analysis of the apartheid model as an administrative system capable of being reproduced outside South Africa has sparked in-depth discussions in academic circles.
Jean Copans from Michigan State University argue that M. Mamdani offers a new interpretation of colonial—and to some extent precolonial and postcolonial—Africa, taking into account the democratic demands of recent history [7] .
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