Global Maritime and Colonial Histories

In Nairobi, migrants weigh the label “mzungu” for belonging and privilege

In Nairobi, the Kiswahili term “mzungu” can carry a mix of meanings tied to whiteness, social privilege, and being foreign. Researchers report that migrants and Kenyans negotiate the label—some reject it, others use it with distance or irony—revealing how privilege is lived through everyday words.