Mahmood Mamdani, a scholar recognized for his work on colonialism and anti-colonialism in Africa, is the father of Zohran Mamdani, an NYC political figure.
Mamdani's academic work is informed by his personal history as a Ugandan citizen of Indian origin. He experienced statelessness twice due to political conditions in East Africa during the 1970s and 1980s.
Mamdani stated, "We were migrants, and under the colonial system, migrants were defined as non-Indigenous." This classification led to individuals such as Mamdani not being fully integrated into Uganda and being deprived of certain rights. These experiences contributed to his ongoing academic inquiry into questions of belonging and identity over time.
Since 1999, Mamdani has held a position as a professor of government in the department of anthropology at Columbia University.
His recent book, Slow Poison, examines the formation of the Ugandan state after British colonialism and the influence of two leaders: Idi Amin and the current president, Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986. Mamdani's thesis is that both leaders inherited and operated within a persistent colonial legacy established by the British.
In an interview with NPR's Leila Fadel, Mamdani discussed his book and drew connections between his experiences with exile and his son's political involvement in New York City.
The radio version of this interview was produced by Milton Guevara, and the digital version was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.