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Challenging Stereotypes: A Critical Examination of African Representation in Media

This exploration critiques the perpetuation of stereotypes in media portrayals of Africa and its people. It highlights how exoticism reduces complex cultures to mere objects and backgrounds, referencing iconic films like Tarzan and advertising imagery that exploits African identity. The discussion includes the impact of media narratives on perceptions of modern African cities and the experiences of African Americans seeking connections to their roots. Ultimately, it calls for a deeper understanding of African diversity and a reevaluation of how media shapes our views.

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Challenging Stereotypes: A Critical Examination of African Representation in Media

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Bush Gardens perpetuatesstereotypes

  2. Dark,why not bright? • Exotic, why not mundane? • Rare, why not usual? • 54 countries lumped together, why not the characteristics of each?

  3. Tarzan in Africa???Tarzan was filmed in Silver Springs, Florida, 35 miles south of UF

  4. People treated as Objects

  5. Compare with objects as objects

  6. Exotic used in advertising--for what purpose? • United Colors of Benetton: An African Albino young woman in a puberty ritual • Pinnacle of exotica

  7. People as background props • No interaction • Just exotic • Kim Basinger on a photo shoot from Vogue Magazine

  8. Don’t you wonder what the Masai men thought about this? • What were they paid to be props? • Were they paid?

  9. Stereotype: Jungle Activities • You promised to walk with me in the moonlight.... • You promised me a kiss... • Happiness in the jungle

  10. Stereotypes: Tribes and Women • Excitement! • For the first time... • Women in the Jungle Olympics

  11. Stereotypes: Outsider (white man) As decision-maker • Decide Phantom

  12. Stereotypes: Gender Division of Labor

  13. Stereotypes: “Girls” and Wambos • ...The great jungle crowd roars... • …As usual. • …New jungle Olympics record...

  14. Stereotype: Jungle Justice“Hard, Swift, Sure” • World please note

  15. Stereotypes: Jungles and wild animals

  16. Images of Africa • Tarzan mentality (filmed in Silver Springs, Florida) • White man’s burden • Wild animals (go to zoo or game park) • Face paints, lack of clothing, snakes, safari • Place for an exotic vacation, but you wouldn’t want to live there • Similar to cowboys and Indians mentality in US

  17. Jungle: Where is it? • Only about 10% is rain forest • Cannibals (exist in Fiji, not Africa) • Business mentality that is exploitative to Africans • Unclear about modern cities versus traditional activities

  18. News media: myths of backwardness • Newspaper headline: “Nigeria transported from stone age to jet age” • (The iron age appeared in Africa and the Stone age disappeared in Nigeria before it did in Europe)

  19. Many African Americans, in particular, may be looking to Africa for • Travel and tourism • Politics • Business • Spiritual life • Arts and culture (music, dance, food) • Ghana is welcoming back African Americans (Ghanaian ancestry not a requirement)

  20. People may think that such symbols as kente cloth is everywhere** • But it is localized • Ghana (originally for Akan royals) and Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) • Now, printed cloth is everywhere

  21. Where do we acquire our information about Africa? • Media (TV, newspapers, radio, movies) • Churches • Travel agencies • Games, puzzles, toys • Commercial recreation centers • Educational materials • Courses at secondary and tertiary levels

  22. But how do we evaluate what we hear and see? • Prejudices against Africa • Prejudices against developing areas and countries • Prejudice concerning different customs • Prejudice concerning any differences

  23. Website Trinity Broadcasting Network, largest Christian religious TV network • www.tbn.co.za • May show map of Africa with lions and starving children only.

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