Race, Nation, and Citizenship in Postcolonial Africa: The Case of Tanzania

There is a tension embedded in the practice of Tanzanian politics that exposes the push and pull between the objectives of shoring up political legitimacy and cultivating lasting economic development, both of which have bearing on the twin processes of inclusion in and marginalization from the national polity. Particularly by paying attention to the diverse interest of political actors, Aminzade rejects a path dependent frame of reference in favor of highlighting agency at multiple points throughout the course of policy and identity formation, an approach that may suggest that there is reason to be optimistic about the future of democratic, civic nationalism.