Abraham Seda

Abraham is a PhD candidate in history at the University of Minnesota. His work focuses on sport, recreation and leisure in colonial Zimbabwe and Africa. Through his research, Abraham conceptualizes African modifications of boxing not just as a protest or resistance, but as a fundamental rejection of the aspirational ideals of western pastimes and games. Under colonial rule, boxing and ideas of ‘sportsmanship’ were instrumentalized as tools of cultural imperialism and the creation of the ‘ideal colonial subject’. Abraham’s research articulates how African boxing ultimately became a potent form of cultural expression which contested colonial notions of ‘fair play’ and ‘sportsmanship.’