In 2024, the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity (AFSEE) programme launched a collaborative project on 'Rethinking Activism in Africa: Enhancing Civic Leadership in a Time of Uncertainty and Transition' with colleagues from the University of Cape Town (UCT) Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance.
This exciting collaboration between AFSEE and UCT aims to unearth new ideas and solutions, driving forward the debate and new thinking regarding the potential and limits of civil society activism in advancing equality in Africa. It was curated by UCT colleagues Mark Heywood (project lead) and Penny Parenzee in collaboration with Professor Armine Ishkanian, AFSEE Executive Director and Grace Farrell-Twiney, AFSEE Partnerships Lead and implemented by Asmaa Akhtar, AFSEE Partnerships Lead (maternity cover) and Wendy Hendricks and Veleska Maphike from the Nelson Mandela School.
While civil society actors across the continent have been active in leading initiatives to address and tackle inequalities, there is growing evidence that progress in narrowing inequality has stalled. In addition, in many countries ‘civic space’ is closing. It is time to reassess these strategies, to ask questions about power, people and what it will require for civil society to reignite sustainable progress towards equality in Africa, which is what the project aims to do.
The ‘Rethinking Activism in Africa’ project began with a provocation essay titled ‘Rethinking activism in a time of desperation and despair’ written by the project lead, Mark Heywood, a South African human rights and social justice activist and a researcher at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance. The project progressed with two webinars, ‘Rethinking Activism in Africa: how activists work with the state and other core stakeholders’ hosted in December 2024 and ‘Rethinking Activism to Overcome Inequality in Africa’ hosted in January 2025.
Following the webinars where speakers provided key insights, AFSEE Fellows and Global Atlantic Fellows who are based in or are from Africa were invited to submit an abstract for consideration to be included in the book of essays titled Rethinking Activism in Africa. Following a competitive review process, fourteen Fellows selected from across 5 Atlantic Fellows programmes were invited to join this project and to further develop their proposed chapter. As a part of this process, they were assigned a mentor working at the Nelson Mandela School and were also invited to attend a writing retreat to brainstorm innovative ideas and solutions for activism in Africa.
The AFSEE Fellows selected to participate in this project were Aisha Abdulaziz (2021-22 Cohort), Henintsoa Daniel Rakotoarison (2023-24 Cohort), Josephine Chiname (2023-24 Cohort), Masana Mulaudzi (2017-18 Cohort), Mohammed-Anwar Sadat Adam (2020-21 Cohort), Tracy Jooste (2017-18 Cohort), and Yara Shawky (2023-24 Cohort).
The AFSEE programme invited Fellows from the following four Atlantic Fellows programmes to also participate in the project. These Fellows are: Lazarus Eze from the Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health (GBHI), Marx Itabelo Lwabanya and Mildred Omino from Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity (AFHE US +Global), Lebohang Molete, Zandile Mqwathi, and Nangamso Koza from Atlantic Fellows in Health Equity in South Africa (TEKANO), and Emile Lester Jansen from Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity (AFRE).
The retreat, which took place from 20-23 May 2025 in Cape Town, was a key part of the project. The fourteen Fellows came together over 3 days to discuss their contributions to the book of essays.
AFSEE Executive Director, Professor Armine Ishkanian, reflected on this project saying: ‘We at AFSEE are very proud to be supporting this timely project with our colleagues from UCT. Mark and Penny did an amazing job in curating and facilitating the retreat. I would also like to thank the writing tutors, Brian Raftopoulos and Hafte Gebrihet, for their contributions and for the engaging fireside chats. I learned so much from the discussions we had during the retreat, and I look forward to seeing the essays come together in the special edited volume’
Project lead, Mark Heywood said, ‘The writing retreat was a wonderful melting pot of ideas and experiences garnered by a diverse group of social justice activists from the four corners of Africa. It was sober about the challenges and threats we face, but hopeful and even joyful that we have within us the power to overcome them. For me it was a privilege to work with such a great group. There's some hard writing and editing ahead, but I'm confident that the book we will produce will become a must read for activists the world over.’
AFSEE Senior Fellow Masana Mulaudzi expressed, ‘Our time together at the writing retreat reminded me why I am so grateful to be counted among such thoughtful, empathetic and curious fellows: everyone leaned in to imagining a future for the world, to building bridges across disciplines and contexts, and to embodying our shared values. It was honestly one of the most significant co-creation spaces I have been in in such a long time!’
Dr Lazarus Eze from GBHI shared, 'The Rethinking Activism writing retreat provided an amazing opportunity for me to exchange ideas with other Fellows from diverse backgrounds. We had deep reflections on our approach to activism and how best to achieve social change. I gained better perspective to telling my story in writing. It was worth my time!'
Another Fellow participating in the project, Emile Jansen from AFRE, said, 'This writing project and retreat helped me to feel more connected, inspired and excited to continue the work that I am doing to redefine activism and its language for inclusivity.'
The ‘Rethinking Activism in Africa’ project will culminate in a book of essays written by the project members who attended the retreat. The book is expected to be published in late 2025, which will be celebrated with planned book launch events in London at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and in Cape Town at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance.
Banner Image: The Rethinking Activism in Africa project group at the Bertha Retreat, Boschendal, Cape Town.