Dar es Salaam. African universities have been challenged to take a leading role in shaping knowledge production that serves the continent’s interests, rather than the demands of Western capitalism, as scholars and policymakers gathered for the 17th Julius Nyerere International Festival at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM).
The three-day festival, organized by the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Research Chair in Pan-African Studies at UDSM, is being held under the theme “Geopolitics, Development, and a New Vision for Africa.” It has brought together academics, students, researchers, civil societies and policymakers to discuss Africa’s place in a rapidly changing global order.
A highlight of the opening day was a distinguished lecture delivered by Professor Zachariah Cherian Mampilly, the Austin Marxe Endowed Chair of International Affairs at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, City University of New York, and co-founder of the Program on African Social Research.
Widely recognized for his work on African politics, conflict, insurgent governance and social movements, Prof. Mampilly addressed the topic “African Knowledge Production After the End of the Liberal Order.”
In his lecture, Prof. Mampilly argued that African knowledge production must become more independent and closely connected to the continent’s social realities. He highlighted grassroots intellectual movements across countries such as Kenya, Senegal, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where activists and scholars are producing and publishing knowledge aimed at ordinary citizens rather than academic audiences behind expensive paywalls.
“The goal is not to publish papers in Western academic journals that erect expensive paywalls that limit the dissemination of ideas beyond privileged institutions,” he said. “Rather, it is to demonstrate to ordinary people how knowledge shapes the social world.”
Prof. Mampilly stressed that African universities must strengthen their engagement with society and reclaim their role as centers of critical thought. He called for stronger pan-African collaboration, greater engagement with knowledge emerging from other parts of the Global South, and resistance to replacing Western dominance with any new global hegemonic power.
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“As the hegemony of the West recedes further into the past, we must not allow a new hegemonic power, whether China or anyone else, to simply take its place,” he said.
Opening the festival, UDSM Vice Chancellor Professor William Anangisye reminded participants that universities must go beyond producing graduates and research outputs. Referring to the university’s Vision 2061, he said institutions of higher learning have a responsibility to help society think critically about change and the future.
“We continue to recognize that a great university must do more than produce graduates and research results,” Prof. Anangisye said. “It must also help society think, question, interpret change and imagine the future with confidence.”
He noted that the festival’s theme is particularly relevant at a time when the global order is undergoing significant transformation, creating opportunities for Africa to define its own development path in line with continental aspirations such as the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The first day of the festival featured lectures and discussions on geopolitics, development and other cross-cutting issues affecting Africa. Participants examined the continent’s role in a changing international landscape and the challenges posed by global competition, economic inequality and climate change.
The event also marked the inauguration of Professor Makulilo as the Fourth Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Professor in Pan-African Studies, succeeding Professor Rwekaza Mukandala.
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Prof. Makulilo, a political scientist in UDSM’s Department of Political Science and Public Administration and Chief Editor of the academic journal African Review, delivered an inaugural lecture titled “Africa Unity and Development: A Reflection of Nyerere’s Political Thought in Contemporary Geopolitics.”
In his remarks, Prof. Makulilo observed that Africa today faces increasing competition among major powers, unstable supply chains, contested mineral resources, climate-related shocks and widening inequality.
He cautioned that while the world is becoming increasingly multipolar, this does not automatically guarantee justice for smaller and less powerful nations.
“The world is increasingly multipolar, but multipolarity does not automatically mean justice,” he said. “Smaller and poorer states may remain marginal unless they are organized strategically and united.”
The festival continues over the coming days with further discussions on Africa’s development trajectory, Tanzania Development Vision 2050 and the future of Pan-Africanism in an evolving global order.
