Podcasting the Past: Africa Past and Present and (South) African History in the Digital Age

The World Wide Web and other computer-based technologies like listservs, reference management tools, databases, blogs, Skype and visual media have transformed the field of history. In 2008, Peter Alegi and Peter Limb, historians of South Africa at Michigan State University, USA, launched Africa Past and Present, a podcast about history, culture, and politics (http://afripod.aodl.org). Drawing on the 54 episodes of the podcast produced through June 2011, this article explores the role of podcasting technology in the production and dissemination of historical knowledge about Africa and South Africa in a global context. It begins with an examination of the technical aspects of podcasting, and then interrogates the relationship between podcasting and Africanist scholarship and teaching in the digital age. The study demonstrates that, if the advantages are maximized and disadvantages minimized, podcasting can be a useful tool with which to democratize knowledge, enrich classroom learning, and significantly broaden opportunities for and access to scholarly publishing and communication, locally and internationally.