EHTZ - Everyday Humanitarianism in Tanzania

Lisa Richey & Alex Maxelon
  • 5.0 (1)
  • EDUCATION
  • BIWEEKLY SERIES

How do ordinary people respond to crises, support their communities, and practice everyday humanitarianism? This podcast explores the realities of humanitarian action in Tanzania beyond traditional aid organizations. Hosted by Alexander Maxelon, this series brings together researchers, policymakers, and community members to discuss insights from Everyday Humanitarianism in Tanzania (EHTZ)—a Danida-funded research project led by Prof. Lisa Ann Richey in collaboration with scholars from Copenhagen Business School (CBS), the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Roskilde University (RUC), Lund University, and the London School of Economics (LSE). Through expert interviews and fieldwork reflections, we dive into topics such as elite giving, refugee support, disaster response, and the future of humanitarian research. Join us as we unpack what it means to help—and be helped—in everyday life. Stay updated and learn more by visiting our website and following us on social media! Website | LinkedIn | Bluesky

  1. #01 | Everyday Humanitarianism in Tanzania: What’s It All About?

    EPISODE 1

    #01 | Everyday Humanitarianism in Tanzania: What’s It All About?

    What is everyday humanitarianism—and why do we study it in the Tanzanian context? In this first episode, we introduce the concept at the heart of EHTZ. From defining what counts as a crisis to understanding who gives, we explore how everyday acts of help challenge dominant narratives about humanitarianism. To discuss this, our host Alex Maxelon is joined by Prof. Lisa Ann Richey, Principal Investigator (PI) of the EHTZ project and Professor of Globalization at Copenhagen Business School (CBS). With an interdisciplinary background in political science, anthropology, and media studies, Lisa investigates the international politics of aid. She is the author of several books, including Batman Saves the Congo and Brand Aid: Shopping Well to Save the World. For a deeper dive into the themes of this episode, we recommend:📄 Richey, L. A. (2018). Conceptualizing “Everyday Humanitarianism”: Ethics, Affects, and Practices of Contemporary Global Helping. New Political Science, 40(4), 625–639. 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!

    28 min
  2. #02 | Designing a Successful Research Project: From Idea to Execution

    EPISODE 2

    #02 | Designing a Successful Research Project: From Idea to Execution

    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!

    30 min
  3. #03 | Conducting Fieldwork in Tanzania: Stories and Best Practices

    EPISODE 3

    #03 | Conducting Fieldwork in Tanzania: Stories and Best Practices

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

    23 min
  4. #04 | Decolonizing Research (Part 1): Bridging the North-South Divide

    EPISODE 4

    #04 | Decolonizing Research (Part 1): Bridging the North-South Divide

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

    23 min
  5. #05 | Decolonizing Research (Part 2): Lessons from Palestine

    EPISODE 5

    #05 | Decolonizing Research (Part 2): Lessons from Palestine

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

    36 min
  6. #06 | Disaster Response in Tanzania: Everyday Help and Disaster Policy

    EPISODE 6

    #06 | Disaster Response in Tanzania: Everyday Help and Disaster Policy

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

    24 min
  7. #07 | Elite Giving in Tanzania: Wealth, Morality, and Everyday Help

    EPISODE 7

    #07 | Elite Giving in Tanzania: Wealth, Morality, and Everyday Help

    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!

    24 min
  8. #08 | Religious Giving in Tanzania: Faith, Generosity, and Humanitarianism

    EPISODE 8

    #08 | Religious Giving in Tanzania: Faith, Generosity, and Humanitarianism

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

    27 min
See All (15)

Trailer

About

How do ordinary people respond to crises, support their communities, and practice everyday humanitarianism? This podcast explores the realities of humanitarian action in Tanzania beyond traditional aid organizations. Hosted by Alexander Maxelon, this series brings together researchers, policymakers, and community members to discuss insights from Everyday Humanitarianism in Tanzania (EHTZ)—a Danida-funded research project led by Prof. Lisa Ann Richey in collaboration with scholars from Copenhagen Business School (CBS), the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Roskilde University (RUC), Lund University, and the London School of Economics (LSE). Through expert interviews and fieldwork reflections, we dive into topics such as elite giving, refugee support, disaster response, and the future of humanitarian research. Join us as we unpack what it means to help—and be helped—in everyday life. Stay updated and learn more by visiting our website and following us on social media! Website | LinkedIn | Bluesky

Information