IFRA Seminar : Discourses of Slavery and Freedom in the Struggle for Labor Rights in Post-War East Africa
On 6th October, Dr. Niels B. from the University of Edinburgh gave a talk on ‘Discourses of Slavery and Freedom in the Struggle for Labour Rights in post-war East Africa’.
Within one lifetime, the East African region went from abolition to decolonisation, a process in which the struggle for labour rights was a significant component. Unsurprisingly, therefore, languages of slavery and emancipation were of profound importance in how people expressed their claims of better working conditions and freedom from colonial rule. In particular, ideas of dignity, respect, and humanity were of profound importance to how people imagined idealised workplaces.
He expounded on the value of retracing intellectual concepts such as ‘jasho’, ‘heshima’ and ‘uhuru’. He also posed a thought provoking question, ‘When did slavery in Eastern Africa really end?’, which sparked a compelling discussion on trade unions, nationalist systems and on whether independence really guarantees freedom.
Big thanks to Dr. Samuel Nyanchoga for being the discussant of this event and all attendees!


OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
IFRA Nairobi (September 29, 2025). IFRA Seminar : Discourses of Slavery and Freedom in the Struggle for Labor Rights in Post-War East Africa. IFRA Nairobi. Retrieved March 17, 2026 from https://doi.org/10.58079/14rue

