Teraanga Republic

Teraanga is a pivotal concept from Senegalese culture embodying hospitality, generosity, and respect. In Teraanga Republic, Emily Jenan Riley delves into how Senegalese women, who constitutionally make up half of the country's elected representatives, transform their private social skills into public governance strategies.

Riley provides an intimate look at the lives and careers of several prominent Senegalese women politicians, including Ayda Mbóoj, Aysata Tall Sall, Mously Jaxate, and Aminata Touré. She demonstrates that the parité movement's triumphs and the sustained political influence of these women hinge on their adept negotiations of teraanga. These women seamlessly blend public political gestures with private acts of belonging and reciprocity, whether hosting social events, offering financial support to followers, or strengthening social and familial bonds through personalized greetings and anecdotes.

Teraanga Republic challenges our perceptions of governance, gender, authority, politics, and religion on a global scale. Riley unveils the importance of contemporary patronage in Senegal and highlights the forms of governance that Senegalese women envision for themselves and their communities.