Well, this raises two key questions. How do we respond to ignorance and worse vis-à-vis Africa?
Perhaps the answer should be tailored to the publics at stake
The grand public, for one, must be assumed to be ignorant and biased, and this hasn't changed over the long run. I don't work in the domain that addresses that, but famous authors do. They can respond with irony, vituperation, or understanding, depending on how they wish to win over the public.
For us, however, the question becomes much more complicated. In my teaching I used to begin my African courses by evoking the prejudicial and ignorant statements American culture aired about a continent that the students barely knew existed. In a film course I might begin with tarzan or the gods must be crazy or out of Africa or one of those films that served to expose either warped or Eurocentric visions of Africa.
Eventually I ceased doing so, not wishing to waste my precious class time on such films when I could begin with an African film, and let it do the work naturally, rather than me being polemical.
I wouldn't waste time over the issues adiichie faced, but I am not famous, and I speak mostly to academics and knowledgeable Africans.
Yet we are haunted by the grand public, like it or not. Speaking back to their ignorance implies too m uch of a defensive posture, which everyone recognizes immediately. It is best to be calmly informational, and let it rest.
But that's easier said than done
The adichie issue might be relatively simple, but let me take a more difficult one. Imagine how to teach, or screen, Osuofia, before a non-African, or non-Nigerian audience. Imagine trying to make the audience understand the humor in representing the country bumpkin, osuofia's hilarious behaviour, his outrageous acts and words. Imagine an audience that knew nothing, thought he was typical, or real.
Imagine the same for Nollywood.
And then, lastly, imagine a non-american audience trying to understand americans through Hollywood. You pick the movie.
If you have not been exposed to notions of ideology, where would you begin?
ken
Kenneth Harrow
Dept of English and Film Studies
http://www.english.msu.edu/people/faculty/kenneth-harrow/
From: usaafricadialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> on behalf of "meochonu@gmail.com" <meochonu@gmail.com>
Reply-To: usaafricadialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Date: Sunday 4 February 2018 at 09:35
To: usaafricadialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Africa Trending (1)
On Sun, Feb 4, 2018 at 7:14 AM, Kenneth Harrow <harrow@msu.edu> wrote:
It nuances it, and everyone agrees with her there. but the issue of brosse's question is different, totally different.
And in fact, I am not surprised at both of their characterizations of French bias. Indeed of European, American biases and ignorances. It doesn't help to warp what brosse said, however.
ken
Kenneth Harrow
Dept of English and Film Studies
http://www.english.msu.edu/people/faculty/kenneth-harrow/
From: usaafricadialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Chambi Chachage <chachagechambi@gmail.com>
Reply-To: usaafricadialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Date: Saturday 3 February 2018 at 22:54
To: usaafricadialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Africa Trending (1)
On Sat, Feb 3, 2018 at 3:10 PM, Kenneth Harrow <harrow@msu.edu> wrote:
This is misleading. I read the piece out of interest, and in face the interviewer, Catherine brouee, says, people have all kinds of ideas about Africa, and I am asking you whether there are bookstores in Nigeria so you can set the record straight. Of course I know there are.
That gets twisted, below, by the single word "seriously," that misrepresents what brouee said.
ken
Kenneth Harrow
Dept of English and Film Studies
http://www.english.msu.edu/people/faculty/kenneth-harrow/
From: usaafricadialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Olajumoke Yacob-Haliso <jumoyin@gmail.com>
Reply-To: usaafricadialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Date: Saturday 3 February 2018 at 09:31
To: usaafricadialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Africa Trending (1)
--
Olajumoke Yacob-Haliso, PhD.,
Department of Political Science and Public Administration,
Babcock University,
Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.
PMB 4010, Babcock University, Nigeria.
Official Email: yacob-halisoo@babcock.edu.ng
The Editor, Journal of International Politics and Development: jipad@babcock.edu.ng
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