ABSTRACT
Across sub-Saharan Africa, the 1960s saw a radical enthusiasm for nation-building in the wake of the decolonization process. Soon, however, the perceived failures of post-colonial states brought disillusionment with the nationalist project. On the surface, Tanzania appears an anomaly in this respect. Formed in 1964 as the union of the former British colonies of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, it represents to date the only successful example of two formerly separate colonies uniting peacefully. Moreover, the East African country is often hailed as a model of national integration bringing more than 120 different ethnic groups and a population closely divided between Muslims and Christians into one harmonious polity. This chapter analyzes the factors behind Tanzania’s civic nation-building project putting particular emphasis on the role of Swahili as a national binding cement.
