Episode 140 of Africa Past and Present — the podcast about African history, culture, and politics — is now available at https://afripod.aodl.org/fullPodcast/episode=140/ as well as on Apple Podcasts and other platforms.
In this episode, David William Cohen (Emeritus, History, University of Michigan) discusses his new book, The Weight of Lufu: Essays on Busoga Before 1900 (Menha Publishers, 2025) with guest host Paul Landau. Drawing on Cohen’s more than 50 years of engagement with the region, the conversation sensitively discusses multiple forms of knowledge and creativity in dealing with the past. It closes with the author’s reflections on lessons learned from Busoga’s complex and fragmented history.
Africa Past and Present is hosted by Dr. Peter Alegi and co-produced by Matrix (Center for Digital Humanities and Social Sciences), the African Studies Center, and the Department of History at Michigan State University.