How does gender shape humanitarian action?

In this eleventh episode, we explore what humanitarianism looks like when viewed through a feminist lens. From everyday acts of care to the politics of aid, we discuss how gender influences who gives, who receives, and whose voices are heard in times of crisis. We also reflect on the power of women-led grassroots efforts and their often-overlooked role in shaping humanitarian responses across Tanzania.

To discuss this, our host Janette Kotivirta is joined by Mary Rusimbi, a Tanzanian activist, educator, and gender and development expert. She is a founding member of the Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP), serves on the EHTZ Advisory Board, and has worked extensively with civil society organizations across the region to promote gender equality and good governance.

This podcast is part of the Everyday Humanitarianism in Tanzania (EHTZ) research project—a collaboration between universities in Denmark and Tanzania. Funded by Danida and led by Professor Lisa Ann Richey, the project explores how ordinary people engage in humanitarian action. Learn more at everydayhumanitarianismintanzania.org.

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Who deserves help—and who decides?

In this tenth episode, we explore how Tanzanians think about giving through the lens of deservingness. Drawing on a large-scale survey conducted across three regions, we examine how people assess need, respond to crisis, and make decisions about who is worth supporting.

To discuss this, our host Alex Maxelon is joined by:

• Prof. Mogens Kamp Justesen, Professor of Political Economy at Copenhagen Business School (CBS) and Director of the CBS Inequality Platform. His work focuses on political institutions, inequality, and democratic governance across African contexts.
• Dr. Innocent Pantaleo, Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Economics at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), where he also serves as Deputy Coordinator of the Centre for Behavioural Studies. His expertise lies in behavioural and development economics, with a focus on public policy and poverty analysis.

For a deeper dive into the themes of this episode, we recommend:

📁 Hambati, H., Justesen, M. K., Pantaleo, I., & Richey, L. A. (2024). Deservingness and Support in Everyday Humanitarianism [Policy Brief].

This podcast is part of the Everyday Humanitarianism in Tanzania (EHTZ) research project—a collaboration between universities in Denmark and Tanzania. Funded by Danida and led by Professor Lisa Ann Richey, the project explores how ordinary people engage in humanitarian action. Learn more at everydayhumanitarianismintanzania.org. 

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How do local acts of help reshape refugee support beyond the confines of the camps?

In this ninth episode, we explore how humanitarian responses unfold in and around Tanzania’s refugee camps—not just from NGOs and international actors, but from Tanzanian citizens and refugees themselves.

To discuss this, our host Alex Maxelon is joined by:

• Prof. Simon Turner, Professor of Social Anthropology at Lund University and Senior Researcher at EHTZ, whose work focuses on forced displacement, refugee camps as spaces of confinement across East Africa.
• Dr. Yvette Ruzibiza, Visiting Scholar at the University of Amsterdam and researcher at EHTZ. She is an ethnographer with expertise in refugee lives, migration, and cross-border solidarity.

For a deeper dive into the themes of this episode, we recommend:

📄 Turner, S., & Ruzibiza, Y. (2024). Precarious Care across Migrant Generations in Tanzania. Genealogy, 8(3), 110.

📁 Msoka, R., Ruzibiza, Y., & Turner, S. (2024). Everyday Humanitarianism in Refugee-Affected Areas [Policy Brief].

📰 Ruzibiza, Y., & Turner, S. (2023). Tanzania’s Open Door to Refugees Narrows. Migration Policy Institute.

This podcast is part of the Everyday Humanitarianism in Tanzania (EHTZ) research project—a collaboration between universities in Denmark and Tanzania. Funded by Danida and led by Professor Lisa Ann Richey, the project explores how ordinary people engage in humanitarian action. Learn more at everydayhumanitarianismintanzania.org. 

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How do religious ties shape the way people help each other in times of crisis?

In this eight episode, we explore the role of faith in everyday humanitarianism. Drawing on research from Kilosa, Tanzania, we examine how individual religious actors—rather than large organizations—mobilize aid in the face of floods and other disasters.

To discuss this, our host Alex Maxelon is joined by Dr. Lucas Kitula, Assistant Lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam and researcher at EHTZ. His recent PhD research focused on religious giving in disaster-affected communities, exploring how faith-based values influence everyday acts of care and solidarity.

For a deeper dive into the themes of this episode, we recommend:

📖 Kitula, L. S., & Mhando, N. E. (2024). The Impact of Religious Influence on Humanitarianism: Evidence from Local Communities Affected by Floods in Kilosa, Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Population Studies and Development, 31(1).

This podcast is part of the Everyday Humanitarianism in Tanzania (EHTZ) research project—a collaboration between universities in Denmark and Tanzania. Funded by Danida and led by Professor Lisa Ann Richey, the project explores how ordinary people engage in humanitarian action. Learn more at everydayhumanitarianismintanzania.org. 

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How do Tanzania’s elites and middle classes contribute to humanitarian efforts?

In this seventh episode, we examine how wealthier Tanzanians respond to crises—not as foreign donors or aid workers, but as neighbors, employers, and community leaders. From financial contributions to in-kind support and social networking, we explore how giving is shaped by proximity, obligation, and moral expectation.

To discuss this, our host Alex Maxelon is joined by:

• Peter Kragelund, Director of the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) and Senior Researcher at EHTZ. His work focuses on international political economy, South–South cooperation, and the role of private-sector actors in African development.
• Dr. Consolata Raphael Sulley, Senior Lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and Senior Researcher at EHTZ. Her expertise lies in gender, democracy, and electoral politics in Tanzania and the broader region.

For a deeper dive into the themes of this episode, we recommend:

📁 Kitula, L., Kragelund, P., Mukangara, D., Richey, L. A., & Sulley, C. R. (2024). Elite Giving in Everyday Humanitarianism [Policy Brief]. EHTZ Website.

This podcast is part of the Everyday Humanitarianism in Tanzania (EHTZ) research project—a collaboration between universities in Denmark and Tanzania. Funded by Danida and led by Professor Lisa Ann Richey, the project explores how ordinary people engage in humanitarian action. Learn more at everydayhumanitarianismintanzania.org. 

🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!

Who helps when disasters strike—and what are their main challenges?

In this sixth episode, we explore how Tanzanian communities respond to natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and earthquakes. While formal systems are often slow to act, ordinary people step in with immediate support. We examine how everyday giving operates alongside—and sometimes in spite of—formal institutions, and what this means for disaster preparedness, equity, and recognition.

To discuss this, our host Alex Maxelon is joined by:

• Dr. Line Engbo Gissel, Associate Professor at Roskilde University (RUC), whose research explores the politics of international law, transnational justice, and how legal institutions interact with African governance systems.
• Dr. Esther Mlingwa, Lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and Researcher at EHTZ. Her research within EHTZ focuses on legal and institutional frameworks related to everyday humanitarianism.

For a deeper dive into the themes of this episode, we recommend:

📄 Mlingwa, E. (2024). The Legal and Institutional Challenges Facing Community-Based Disaster Management in Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Population Studies and Development, 31(1).

📁 Gissel, L. E., Hambati, H., Majamba, H., & Mlingwa, E. (2024). Everyday Humanitarianism in Disaster Response [Policy Brief]. EHTZ Website.

This podcast is part of the Everyday Humanitarianism in Tanzania (EHTZ) research project—a collaboration between universities in Denmark and Tanzania. Funded by Danida and led by Professor Lisa Ann Richey, the project explores how ordinary people engage in humanitarian action. Learn more at everydayhumanitarianismintanzania.org. 

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How does humanitarianism reproduce or resist the legacies of colonialism?

In this fifth episode, we take a closer look at what it means to decolonize humanitarianism—not just in theory, but through the lived realities of people navigating aid and governance in spaces shaped by inequality and control. We explore how these dynamics play out in Palestine and reflect on what comparisons with Tanzania reveal about legitimacy, power, and everyday practices of care.

To discuss this, our host Alex Maxelon is joined by Prof. Somdeep Sen, Associate Professor in International Development Studies at Roskilde University (RUC) and author of Decolonizing Palestine: Hamas between the Anticolonial and the Postcolonial. His work explores race, liberation movements, settler colonialism, and spatial politics, and his writing has appeared in both academic and global media outlets.

For a deeper dive into the themes of this episode, we recommend:

📖 Sen, S. (2020). Decolonizing Palestine: Hamas between the Anticolonial and the Postcolonial. Cornell University Press.

This podcast is part of the Everyday Humanitarianism in Tanzania (EHTZ) research project—a collaboration between universities in Denmark and Tanzania. Funded by Danida and led by Professor Lisa Ann Richey, the project explores how ordinary people engage in humanitarian action. Learn more at everydayhumanitarianismintanzania.org. 

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How can research be decolonized—and what does that mean in practice?

In this fourth episode, we explore the structural inequalities embedded in international research collaborations and examine what it takes to build equitable partnerships between Global North and Global South institutions. From power imbalances in knowledge production to strategies for centering Southern perspectives, we reflect on how humanitarian research can move toward more ethical and inclusive practices.

To discuss this, our host Janette Kotivirta is joined by Dr. Consolata Raphael Sulley, Senior Lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and Senior Researcher at EHTZ. Her work focuses on democracy, gender, and electoral politics in Africa and the Middle East. She brings extensive experience from both academic research and policy engagement across Tanzania and beyond.

For a deeper dive into the themes of this episode, we recommend:

📄 Sulley, C. R., & Richey, L. A. (2023). The messy practice of decolonising a concept: Everyday humanitarianism in Tanzania. Review of International Studies, 49(3), 390–403.

This podcast is part of the Everyday Humanitarianism in Tanzania (EHTZ) research project—a collaboration between universities in Denmark and Tanzania. Funded by Danida and led by Professor Lisa Ann Richey, the project explores how ordinary people engage in humanitarian action. Learn more at everydayhumanitarianismintanzania.org.

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What does it really take to do humanitarian research on the ground?

In this third episode, we explore the challenges and rewards of conducting fieldwork in remote and crisis-affected areas across Tanzania. From securing access and navigating logistical hurdles to building trust with local communities, we take a behind-the-scenes look at what makes fieldwork both demanding and deeply meaningful.

To discuss this, our host Alex Maxelon is joined by:

• Dr. Esther Mlingwa, Lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and Researcher at EHTZ. Her research within EHTZ focuses on legal and institutional frameworks related to everyday humanitarianism.
• Dr. Lucas Kitula, Lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and Researcher at EHTZ, whose work explores the role of religious ties in shaping everyday humanitarian practices across Tanzanian communities.

This podcast is part of the Everyday Humanitarianism in Tanzania (EHTZ) research project—a collaboration between universities in Denmark and Tanzania. Funded by Danida and led by Professor Lisa Ann Richey, the project explores how ordinary people engage in humanitarian action. Learn more at everydayhumanitarianismintanzania.org. 

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How do you turn a bold research idea into a large-scale international collaboration?

In this second episode, we go behind the scenes of the EHTZ project to learn how it all began—from early ideas and assembling the right team to building a North–South research partnership and securing international funding.

To discuss this, our host Alex Maxelon is joined by:

• Prof. Lisa Ann Richey, Principal Investigator of the EHTZ project and Professor of Globalization at Copenhagen Business School (CBS). With an interdisciplinary background in political science, anthropology, and media studies, her work explores the international politics of aid and North–South relations.
• Prof. Herbert Hambati, Associate Professor of Human Geography at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and South Coordinator of EHTZ. His research spans urbanization, disaster management, and local knowledge systems, with a focus on Tanzanian communities and planning processes.

This podcast is part of the Everyday Humanitarianism in Tanzania (EHTZ) research project—a collaboration between universities in Denmark and Tanzania. Funded by Danida and led by Professor Lisa Ann Richey, the project explores how ordinary people engage in humanitarian action. Learn more at everydayhumanitarianismintanzania.org. 

🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!