The purpose of this thesis is to understand the link between nationalism and political stability through the comparison of nation-building projects in Tanzania and Kenya. This will be done through...Show moreThe purpose of this thesis is to understand the link between nationalism and political stability through the comparison of nation-building projects in Tanzania and Kenya. This will be done through the analysis of the political speeches and policies of Julius Nyerere and Jomo Kenyatta as the first presidents of Tanzania and Kenya respectively. The public perception of these leaders and their nation-building projects will also be discussed. It is the conclusion of this thesis that Julius Nyerere used both rhetoric and policy to create a unified Tanzanian identity based on core values which led to political stability throughout his administration and beyond. Meanwhile, Jomo Kenyatta failed to create a unified Kenyan identity through policies and rhetoric that divided the country along ethnic lines. These divisions have caused political instability in Kenya both during and following Kenyatta’s presidency. Ultimately, the creation of a unified national identity played a key role in stability in Tanzania and the lack of unity played a key role in instability in Kenya.Show less
Decolonisation and independence in Africa resulted in new beginnings, as well as imagined futures. For a number of postcolonial African nation-states, these imagined futures were rooted in a new...Show moreDecolonisation and independence in Africa resulted in new beginnings, as well as imagined futures. For a number of postcolonial African nation-states, these imagined futures were rooted in a new political ideology – African Socialism. In an attempt by a number of African leaders to find a postcolonial identity, African Socialism was thought to satisfy the demands of newly independent African nation-states.Show less
Diving into the history of the character and spread of Kiswahili, I examine how power structures in society have influenced the character and spread of Kiswahili in Tanzania. I focus on the early...Show moreDiving into the history of the character and spread of Kiswahili, I examine how power structures in society have influenced the character and spread of Kiswahili in Tanzania. I focus on the early independence period because Kiswahili was nationalised during this period and because the manner in which this was done and legitimised remains underresearched. Using the Gramscian concept hegemony as the success of the ruling class to construct a worldview that is accepted throughout society which naturalizes power relationships between different social groups, I argue that the ideology through which Kiswahili was nationalised in Tanzania shaped the discourse on Kiswahili in a way that naturalizes the power structures in society, thereby implicitly justifying the choice of Kiswahili as the national language. Upon independence, TANU formed the state and shaped the nation. They were the new ruling class and as such tried to establish hegemony. Analysing Ujamaa ideology and the discourse on Kiswahili, I explain how this discourse subverted the issue of ethnic languages and power relations in Tanzania. The mythical elements of these discourses are deconstructed by juxtaposing them with historical realities. By debunking the ideological assumptions on which knowledge about Kiswahili was produced, I simultaneously call into question the epistemological value of research published in the journal Kiswahili.Show less
