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September 12, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Civic Brief • Political Science

Mahmood Mamdani

Mahmood Mamdani is a Ugandan academic, political commentator, and author known for his work on African politics, colonialism, post-colonialism, and the politics of knowledge production.

Updated September 12, 20261 min readCited sources

Mahmood Mamdani is a Ugandan academic and author known for his influential work on African politics, colonialism, and post-colonialism.

Who he is

Mamdani was born in Bombay in 1946 and raised in Uganda. He earned degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, Tufts University, and Harvard University. He is the Herbert Lehman Professor of Government at Columbia University and has also taught anthropology and African studies.

Key contributions

His major books include Citizen and Subject, When Victims Become Killers, and Good Muslim, Bad Muslim. These works examine colonial rule, state formation, violence, and political identity in Africa and beyond. He also served as director of the Makerere Institute of Social Research in Kampala from 2010 to 2022.

Why his work matters

Mamdani's scholarship addresses the legacy of colonialism, the politics of ethnicity and citizenship, genocide, and the relationship between power and knowledge. He is regarded as a major figure in African studies and post-colonial thought.

In short

  • Ugandan academic focused on African politics, colonialism, and post-colonialism.
  • Author of Citizen and Subject, When Victims Become Killers, and Good Muslim, Bad Muslim.
  • Herbert Lehman Professor of Government at Columbia University.
  • Former director of the Makerere Institute of Social Research.

Quick questions

Who is Mahmood Mamdani?
He is a Ugandan academic, author, and political commentator known for work on African politics, colonialism, and post-colonialism.
What are his best-known books?
His best-known books include Citizen and Subject, When Victims Become Killers, and Good Muslim, Bad Muslim.
Where does he teach?
He is a professor at Columbia University, holding the Herbert Lehman Professorship in Government.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmood_Mamdani
    Supports: Birth place, education, academic field, and broad biography.
  2. CODESRIA — https://codesria.org/pr-mahmood-mamdani-1998-2002/
    Supports: Birth date, education, academic specializations, Columbia appointment, and leadership roles.
  3. University of Cape Town — https://humanities.uct.ac.za/african-studies/contacts/mahmood-mamdani
    Supports: Harvard PhD, teaching history, founding director role, major books, and awards.
  4. Wikipedia — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmood_Mamdani
    Supports: Ugandan academic profile, Columbia affiliation, and Kampala International University role.
  5. Wikipedia — https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmood_Mamdani
    Supports: Nationality, Columbia affiliation, Makerere role, and marriage to Mira Nair.