Dr. Chipo Dendere is a Zimbabwean-born American academic and an Assistant Professor of Political Science in the Africana Studies Department at Wellesley College. Her research focuses on democratization, elections, and voting behavior in Africa, as well as the influence of social media on politics. Dr. Dendere's forthcoming book, Death, Diversion, and Departure: Voter Exit and the Persistence of Authoritarianism in Zimbabwe (Cambridge University Press, 2026), is about how the emigration and/or death of young, progressive voters creates opportunities for authoritarian regimes to survive, providing timely insights with authoritarianism on the rise globally and many citizens considering leaving home. Additionally, Dr. Dendere is working on significant projects related to chocolate politics and African First Ladies' political lives. At Wellesley, she teaches comparative politics, elections, resources, and African politics courses. Dendere frequently provides commentary on African politics for CNN, BBC, and Al Jazeera, and she writes for a public audience across various platforms. She is active on X (formerly Twitter) under the username @drDendere. For more information about or to contact Dr. Dendere, visit drdendere.com.