The Other Side of Africa Rising: Cultural Counter-Narratives

Posted: 9 May 2013 Last revised: 17 Dec 2014

See all articles by Tsitsi Jaji

Tsitsi Jaji

University of Pennsylvania

Lindsey Green-Simms

American University

Moradewun Adejunmobi

University of California, Davis

Rudolf Gaudio

SUNY Purchase College

Mukoma Wa Ngugi

Cornell University

Mukti Lakhi

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Date Written: May 9, 2013

Abstract

This panel gathers papers that examine the ways in which contemporary African literature, art, film, music, and (social) media challenge and complicate the narrative of "Africa rising" that has become so popular in mainstream media. We are interested in works that explore the ways that this / rosy narrative depends on the erasure of forms of social, political, and environmental violence. But, at the same time, we want to ask what it means to still insist on the "unflattering" images of Africa at a time when many African countries are trying to re-brand. How do authors, artists, and other cultural producers refuse to comply with and celebrate the coercions of neo-liberalism in Africa? Papers might therefore also wish to examine / the following questions: What is the role of the African artist in the 21st century? How do forms of technology change what is being said by and about Africans? How are development narratives being re-imagined today? The papers address a cross-section of African regions from Nigeria to Kenya to South Africa and methodologies from literary, cultural and ethnographic studies. Individual paper titles include: "Nollywood films and the 'happy ending'"; "Abuja Rising?"; "The literary underbelly of Kenyan crime fiction" ; "Neo-colonizing the Global South: Elite Indians in Africa" and "Africa Rising, Africa Driving, and the Violence of Automobility".

Suggested Citation

Jaji, Tsitsi and Green-Simms, Lindsey and Adejunmobi, Moradewun and Gaudio, Rudolf and Wa Ngugi, Mukoma and Lakhi, Mukti, The Other Side of Africa Rising: Cultural Counter-Narratives (May 9, 2013). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2262625

Tsitsi Jaji (Contact Author)

University of Pennsylvania ( email )

Philadelphia, PA 19104
United States

Lindsey Green-Simms

American University ( email )

4400 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20016
United States

Moradewun Adejunmobi

University of California, Davis ( email )

One Shields Avenue
Apt 153
Davis, CA 95616
United States

Rudolf Gaudio

SUNY Purchase College ( email )

735 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577
United States

Mukoma Wa Ngugi

Cornell University ( email )

Ithaca, NY 14853
United States

Mukti Lakhi

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey ( email )

311 North 5th Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08854
United States

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