Browsing by Author "Nguyahambi, Ajali M."

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    Contextualizing citizenship in Tanzania
    (Routledge, 2019) Nguyahambi, Ajali M.; Matunga, Benta N.; Kilonzo, Rehema G.; Kontinen, T.; Chang`a, Haji H.
    This chapter describes selected features of the contemporary Tanzania that form the context for learning of citizenship in civil society. The chapter grasps the contextual conditions and circumstances of citizenship in Tanzania by looking at historical evolvement of the notion of development, maendeleo, over the period from colonial eras to the postcolonial single-party system to the contemporary multiparty democracy. The chapter continues with analyses of the moments of donor enthusiasm for civil society and NGOs and the recent debates on the shrinking space of civil society. Essentially, different stages present different idea of an ideal citizen and also different efforts in order to shape citizens by state and civil society organizations. It further reflects on how the traces of these developments might show in today’s citizenship habits including patterns of participation and citizenship identities, not only vis-á-vis the state but also other groups and forums where rights and responsibilities are negotiated, and thus, active citizenship is constructed.
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    Disrupting habits of North–South research collaboration: learning in co-authoring
    (Springer Nature, 2020) Kontinen, Tiina; Nguyahambi, Ajali M.
    One of the frequently mentioned manifestations of asymmetrical relationships in North–South research collaboration has been challenges in co-authoring joint international publications. We critically reflect on our attempt to counteract this tendency and analyse a process of producing an edited volume on practices of citizenship in East Africa, which reports selected findings of a four-year collaborative research project between Tanzanian, Ugandan and Finnish academics. The project was based on philosophical pragmatism, and especially John Dewey’s ideas concerning learning as reformulation of habits. Consequently, our reflection of learning presented in this paper draws from the pragmatist notions of habit and disruption. We analyse how some prevalent habits in support of asymmetrical knowledge production emerged and the ways in which we attempted to reformulate them in our own practices by initiating continuous dialogue within the team, introduction of writing retreats and offering short-term fellowships.
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    A good believer is a good citizen: connecting Islamic morals with civic virtues in rural Tanzania
    (Routledge, 2019) Nguyahambi, Ajali M.; Kontinen, Tiina
    Religious communities as arenas for public life are prevalent examples of social embeddedness that need not to be excluded from the design of citizenship initiatives. Across sub-Saharan Africa, religious practices provide some of the most important spaces of everyday identity, belonging and prevailing ways in which citizens participate in community life. While there is expansion in research on Islamic radicalization in East Africa, this chapter approaches religion and faith from the pragmatist point of view focusing on everyday Islam in non-radicalized rural contexts. Based on interviews with rural community members in Kondoa district, Tanzania, the chapter analyses how community members articulate what it means to be simultaneously a good believer and a good citizen.
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    Social accountability monitoring as an approach to promoting active citizenship in Tanzania
    (Routledge, 2019) Nguyahambi, Ajali M.; Chang'a, Haji H.
    Social accountability monitoring (SAM) is an approach widely employed by many civil society organizations to promote active participation of people in governance processes, especially in the context where government traditionally is dominant governance actor. This chapter scrutinizes certain attempts to promote change in current citizenship habits obtained through different forms of participation. It discusses how implementation of SAM initiatives encounters multiple context-based factors that affect the expected outcomes. The discussions draw illustrative experiences from local NGO working in Kondoa district to promote change of state-citizens relations in order to improve service delivery in the health sector. The chapter analyses the ways in which the implementation of SAM both promotes and hinders citizens’ active participation focusing on the balance between ideal model and reality during its implementation in Tanzania.