Institute of Advanced Studies

Despotism and dictatorship in 20th century Africa: The case of Uganda under Amin

Abstract: This seminar examined continuities and changes in patterns of governance in colonial and postcolonial Africa. It used the case study of Uganda under Idi Amin to argue that the weak but despotic colonial state inherited and adapted by newly independent African governments helped to create the conditions in which personal dictatorial rule could flourish.

Biographical note: Jeremy Martens teaches African and global history at the University of Western Australia. He was educated at the University of Natal, South Africa and Queen's University, Canada. His research focusses primarily on race and the regulation of behaviour in nineteenth and twentieth century South Africa but he is currently working on a transnational study of immigration restriction in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. His publications have appeared in the Journal of Southern African Studies, the Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History, the South African Historical Journal and the Canadian Journal of African Studies.

The lecture was hosted and sponsored by the Institute of Advanced Studies at UWA and formed part of the Dictators lecture series.

- 26 September 2007