Mahmood Mamdani on Zohran’s rise, colonialism, and US political change
Mahmood Mamdani on exile from Uganda, Idi Amin, and what Zohran’s rise says about politics in the US.
How do the legacies of empire continue to shape politics today? In his new book, Slow Poison: Idi Amin, Yoweri Museveni, and the Making of the Ugandan State, Mahmood Mamdani examines how colonial rule shaped Uganda’s political institutions and the leaders who emerged from them.
Mamdani also reflects on political change closer to home: His son, Zohran Mamdani, is poised to become the first Muslim mayor of New York City – a victory he says reveals deep generational shifts in US politics.
This week on UpFront, Marc Lamont Hill speaks with renowned scholar Mahmood Mamdani about colonial legacies, multipolarity, and what these shifts mean for global politics today.
Published On 6 Dec 20256 Dec 2025
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