Pambazuka News 486: Remembering Soweto/World Cup 2010

f="http://www.codesria.org/?lang=en]CODESRIA

, the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, has been ranked second in the University of Pennsylvania's 2009 'Global Go-To Think Tank Rankings' for the sub-Saharan Africa region behind the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). The ranking was undertaken by a panel of 300 experts from around the world, across the political spectrum and from every discipline and sector to help nominate and select public policy research centres of excellence. The me...read more

S B

The wave of sentimentality surrounding Africa's first World Cup has concealed the persistence of marked gender discrimination around both how countries use public funds and conceive of organised sport, writes Salma Maoulidi. Football's popularity in countries like Tanzania and the political capital to be had by pandering to its followers, Maoulidi highlights, end up reinforcing discriminatory funding allocations and perpetuating a mismatch of opportunity along gender lines.

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Writing in response to a New York Times article by Henry Louis Gates, Antumi Toasijé strongly challenges the view that we should simply 'end the slavery blame game'.

US Army

Following comments from South African Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu around the need for the country's defence force to be a 'rite of passage' for young people, Nicholas Tucker suspects such remarks to indicate moves towards 'a massive recruitment campaign for the AFRICOM [US Africa Command] programme'. Conscription is not a 'rite of passage', Tucker stresses, 'unless of course your country happens to be Sparta'.

Love is not what they claimed inhabited our relationship
It was desire masquerading as adorement
I spit in the face of tough love
This was not love when you left me
Outside in the rain; umbrella-less
You walked on
Made me choose between my divine path and you
Love is what warms me when I am alone
It screams my name and hugs me
Wipes my tears and tells me to laugh hard
Because it is my audience of one
Smiles when I leave its win...read more

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