[TEASER] Alliance of Sahel States Pt. 3: Hyperimperialism and the Fight for Sovereignty w/ Mikaela Nhondo Erskog

11 snips

Sep 16, 2025

Mikaela Nhondo Erskog, a researcher at Tricontinental and a doctoral student in International Relations, dives into the complexities of hyperimperialism in the Sahel. She discusses Burkina Faso's anti-LGBTQ law and its ties to colonial legacies, highlighting the struggle for equality amidst rising conservatism. Erskog also examines the impact of colonialism on economic dependency in the region, particularly through the CFA franc, and sheds light on grassroots movements advocating for sovereignty against neocolonial forces.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

Uranium Wealth, Local Poverty

Mikaela recalls Niger's uranium fueling French electricity while most Nigeriens lacked grid access.
She highlights Niger received a tiny fraction of export revenue and thus remained underdeveloped.

INSIGHT

AES As Anti-Imperialist Break

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) represents a decisive regional rejection of French and broader imperialist control.
The AES aims to pursue sovereignty and development independent of imperialist blocs.

INSIGHT

Colonial And Religious Roots Of Homophobia

Homophobia in the Sahel mixes colonial-era laws with recent Gulf-influenced religious conservatism.
Criminalization of homosexuality reflects these layered historical and ideological forces.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

This is a free preview of the episode "Alliance of Sahel States Pt. 3: Hyperimperialism w/ Mikaela Nhondo Erskog." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast

As a Patreon subscriber you'll get access to at least one bonus episode a month (usually two or three), our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, early access to certain episodes, and other benefits like stickers and bumper stickers—depending on which tier you subscribe to. access to bi-weekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You’ll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going.

In this episode, Part 3 of our series on the Alliance of Sahel States, Mikaela Nhondo Erskog joins us for a wideranging conversation about hyperimperialism and the Sahel's fight against it. We begin the conversation talking about the anti-LGBTQ law that was passed in Burkina Faso criminalizing "acts of homosexuality." We explore the law itself (part of a broader family code bill) and explore how we in the West can wrestle with the contradictions it presents. We then focus our conversation on hyperimperialism, looking at how Western Africa is responding to decades of colonialism and neocolonialism. We talk about what the decline of the US portends for the future of the Global South, the on-the-ground development projects that the AES is embarking on with Russia and China, how the AES and other states on the African continent are attempting to reverse decades of underdevelopment and unequal exchange, and much more.

Mikaela Nhondo Erskog is a researcher at Tricontinental. a doctoral student in International Relations at Fudan University in Shanghai, and regional coordinator of the International People's Assembly in Pan Africanism Today.

Further resources:

Related episodes:

Artwork: Soviet-era propaganda poster by Eduard Artsrunyan titled “Colonialism is Doomed!”

Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support

If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship

For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.