As his son prepares to take office as New York City’s new mayor, Mahmood Mamdani, a renowned academic, intends to maintain a deliberate distance from the incoming administration. The 79-year-old professor envisions a relationship mirroring the campaign period – supportive yet independent, always available for counsel without inserting himself into his son’s leadership.
Mamdani, a professor of government and anthropology at Columbia University and director of the Makerere Institute of Social Research in Uganda, recently discussed this approach in a detailed interview. He emphasized the importance of offering perspective while respecting the distinct role his son must now fulfill as mayor.
The elder Mamdani’s perspective on power is deeply informed by a lifetime of observing its effects, particularly on intellectuals. He believes power carries a corrupting influence, having witnessed firsthand how it can alter the course of even the most principled individuals.
His own life story is marked by displacement and resilience. Born in India and raised in Uganda, Mamdani was expelled from Uganda in 1972 under Idi Amin’s discriminatory policies targeting citizens of South Asian descent, a painful chapter that shaped his understanding of political upheaval.
Mamdani’s new book, "Slow Poison: Idi Amin, Yoweri Museveni, and the Making of the Ugandan State," offers a critical re-examination of Idi Amin’s dictatorship and the subsequent political landscape of Uganda. It’s a work born from decades of research and personal experience.
His connection to filmmaker Mira Nair, whom he married in 1991 while she was filming "Mississippi Masala" in Uganda, adds another layer to his rich life. Their son, Zohran, born in 1991, has followed a path of public service, becoming a community organizer and New York State assemblymember.
During Zohran’s mayoral campaign, a past video of Mahmood Mamdani discussing America’s role in global settler colonialism resurfaced, garnering significant attention. In the 2022 panel discussion, he posited that the U.S. had served as a model for later colonial projects, a statement that sparked considerable debate.
Further scrutiny was directed towards his 2004 book, "Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror," which explored the complexities of political violence and challenged conventional narratives surrounding terrorism. The book, dedicated to Zohran and his friends, contained provocative arguments about understanding the motivations behind such acts.
Mahmood Mamdani’s life, a tapestry woven with academic rigor, personal hardship, and unwavering intellectual honesty, provides a unique backdrop to his son’s ascent in American politics. His intention to remain at arm’s length suggests a profound respect for the challenges and responsibilities that lie ahead for the new mayor.
