Erin Conway-Smith writes about southern Africa for The Economist. She also contributes to Foreign Policy, 1843, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph and others. Previously she was senior Africa correspondent for GlobalPost. Erin has been based in Johannesburg since 2009 and before that in Beijing, China where she ran a magazine called Asia Weekly and freelanced for the International Herald Tribune, Globe and Mail, Maclean's and CBC Radio. Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Canada, she studied at the University of Western Ontario and has a master's degree in journalism from Carleton University in Ottawa. She is a delegate to the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa program. Twitter - @ejcs Instagram - @erinconwaysmith Snapchat - @erinconwaysmith
RECENT WORK:
*updated in fits and starts but you get the idea*
Endangered species: To sell or not to sell? - The Economist. October 1, 2016
Johannesburg’s new mayor: Capitalist crusader - The Economist. September 24, 2016
Driving in Johannesburg: Bad robots - The Economist. September 10, 2016
Religion in Zimbabwe: Tithing troubles - The Economist. August 27, 2016
Goodbye, Party of Nelson Mandela. Hello, Rainbow Nation - Foreign Policy. August 10, 2016
South Africa: The Zuma effect - The Economist. August 6, 2016
Zimbabwe: Comrade Bob besieged - The Economist. July 30, 2016
South Africa's local elections: Young rivals - The Economist, July 30, 2016
In the struggle to save the rhino, dogs still beat drones - The Economist. February 10, 2016
After Zuma, another Zuma? - The Economist. January 9, 2016
South Africa starts 2016 with a big fight over racism - GlobalPost. January 6, 2016
South Africa's 'Native American' fetish is a very strange thing - GlobalPost. January 3, 2016
The Unraveling of Jacob Zuma - Foreign Policy. December 24, 2015
From Gucci Grace to President Mugabe? - Foreign Policy. December 21, 2015
Jacob Zuma: How South Africa turned on its President - The Independent. December 17, 2015
Inside L. Ron Hubbard's Johannesburg mansion, where Scientology's toughest test was born - GlobalPost. June 18, 2015
Slavery in Mauritania:
Rap is resistance in slave-owning Mauritania - GlobalPost. October 30, 2015
Campaigning against slavery can get you locked up in Mauritania - GlobalPost. October 22, 2015
'Slaves by the will of God': Why Mauritania has the highest percentage of slaves in the world - GlobalPost. October 19, 2015
Boko Haram:
These are the real victims of Boko Haram - GlobalPost. May 5, 2015
Food is running out in Nigeria's refugee settlements - GlobalPost. April 29, 2015
It takes 'boko' to fight Boko Haram - GlobalPost. April 29, 2015
Boko Haram 'burned our houses, they burned our food' - GlobalPost. April 14, 2015
In the wake of Boko Haram's assault, a humanitarian crisis unfolds - GlobalPost/NBC News. April 14, 2015
Power rangers: Botswana's all-electric safari - CNN Travel. December 2, 2014
Workers of South Africa, disunite! - The Economist. November 15, 2014
Botswana: Losing its sparkle - The Economist. October 30, 2014
Justice in South Africa: Equal and colour-blind? - The Economist. October 25, 2014
And the Oscar goes to jail - GlobalPost. October 21, 2014
Mozambique's got some of the best bad taxidermy you'll ever see - GlobalPost. October 17, 2014
Oscar Pistorius faced with ex-girlfriend who testified against him in court - The Telegraph. October 14, 2014
Oscar Pistorius: defence calls for three years' house arrest - The Telegraph. October 13, 2014
Mozambique's elections: Boom and ballot - The Economist. October 11, 2014
There's a new threat to endangered rhinos in South Africa - GlobalPost. October 8, 2014
This South African musical about police brutality has audiences cheering - GlobalPost. October 6, 2014
Endangered species: To sell or not to sell? - The Economist. October 1, 2016
Johannesburg’s new mayor: Capitalist crusader - The Economist. September 24, 2016
Driving in Johannesburg: Bad robots - The Economist. September 10, 2016
Religion in Zimbabwe: Tithing troubles - The Economist. August 27, 2016
Goodbye, Party of Nelson Mandela. Hello, Rainbow Nation - Foreign Policy. August 10, 2016
South Africa: The Zuma effect - The Economist. August 6, 2016
Zimbabwe: Comrade Bob besieged - The Economist. July 30, 2016
South Africa's local elections: Young rivals - The Economist, July 30, 2016
In the struggle to save the rhino, dogs still beat drones - The Economist. February 10, 2016
After Zuma, another Zuma? - The Economist. January 9, 2016
South Africa starts 2016 with a big fight over racism - GlobalPost. January 6, 2016
South Africa's 'Native American' fetish is a very strange thing - GlobalPost. January 3, 2016
The Unraveling of Jacob Zuma - Foreign Policy. December 24, 2015
From Gucci Grace to President Mugabe? - Foreign Policy. December 21, 2015
Jacob Zuma: How South Africa turned on its President - The Independent. December 17, 2015
Inside L. Ron Hubbard's Johannesburg mansion, where Scientology's toughest test was born - GlobalPost. June 18, 2015
Slavery in Mauritania:
Rap is resistance in slave-owning Mauritania - GlobalPost. October 30, 2015
Campaigning against slavery can get you locked up in Mauritania - GlobalPost. October 22, 2015
'Slaves by the will of God': Why Mauritania has the highest percentage of slaves in the world - GlobalPost. October 19, 2015
Boko Haram:
These are the real victims of Boko Haram - GlobalPost. May 5, 2015
Food is running out in Nigeria's refugee settlements - GlobalPost. April 29, 2015
It takes 'boko' to fight Boko Haram - GlobalPost. April 29, 2015
Boko Haram 'burned our houses, they burned our food' - GlobalPost. April 14, 2015
In the wake of Boko Haram's assault, a humanitarian crisis unfolds - GlobalPost/NBC News. April 14, 2015
Power rangers: Botswana's all-electric safari - CNN Travel. December 2, 2014
Workers of South Africa, disunite! - The Economist. November 15, 2014
Botswana: Losing its sparkle - The Economist. October 30, 2014
Justice in South Africa: Equal and colour-blind? - The Economist. October 25, 2014
And the Oscar goes to jail - GlobalPost. October 21, 2014
Mozambique's got some of the best bad taxidermy you'll ever see - GlobalPost. October 17, 2014
Oscar Pistorius faced with ex-girlfriend who testified against him in court - The Telegraph. October 14, 2014
Oscar Pistorius: defence calls for three years' house arrest - The Telegraph. October 13, 2014
Mozambique's elections: Boom and ballot - The Economist. October 11, 2014
There's a new threat to endangered rhinos in South Africa - GlobalPost. October 8, 2014
This South African musical about police brutality has audiences cheering - GlobalPost. October 6, 2014
