Stereotypes of Africa explained

Stereotypes about Africa, Africans, and African culture are common, especially in the Western World.[1] [2] European imperialism was often justified on paternalistic grounds, portraying Africa as less civilized, and Africans as less capable of civilizing themselves.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] As of the 2010s, these stereotypes persisted in European media.[8] [9]

History

Europe

Several countries, such as France and Portugal, tried to 'civilize' Africa by colonizing it.[10] [11] [12]

Belgian cartoonist Hergé depicted Africans as childlike in Tintin in the Congo.[13] [14]

The Germans falsely credited African accomplishments to a 'Hamitic' race descended from European settlers.[15] Some Italians stereotype Africans as illegal immigrants and beggars.[16] Poles' understanding of Africa is influenced by its press, which often dwells on bad or alarming news.[17]

Northern America

In the 19th century, scientific racists such as Josiah C. Nott and George Gliddon likened Africans to the non-human apes. This comparison was used to justify the former's inferior status.[18] [19]

Present

Australia

Australians often view Africa as primitive and homogeneous. This view is influenced by stereotypes of African Americans.[20]

East Asia

Japan sees Africa as a continent in need of help,[21] [22] [23] [24] as does China.[25] [26] [27] In Chinese internet culture, unlucky or incompetent video game players are called 'Africans', a reference to the association of black faces with bad luck.[28]

United Kingdom

Research by the British Council showed that from the perspective of young Britons, the African continent as a whole, is either idealized or demonized. Decades of images and stories in the news media and by charities highlighting themes including famine, drought, disease, inequality and instability have contributed to a perception of African countries as impoverished, dangerous, and lagging behind the rest of the world socio-economically and in terms of human rights. Factors commonly used to explain these issues included endemic local corruption, the historical and contemporary exploitation of Africa by foreign countries and private interests (including the UK and British companies), and the perceived remoteness and isolation of Africa relative to the rest of the world.

United States

In the United States, Africa is seen as primitive and full of disease.[29] [30] Africans are seen as peculiarly vulnerable to disease.[31] [32] [33] Also, Africa is seen as a sparsely-peopled jungle full of wild animals.[34] American cinema is blamed for disparaging stereotypes of Africa. [35]

Themes

Environment

A common stereotype is that much or all of Africa is an inhospitable jungle or desert,[36] inhabited only by wild animals like Elephants and Lions.[37] Alternatively, many believe that wild animals are ubiquitous and familiar, like domestic animals. Although Africa has many wild animals, among them big game animals, most Africans see them only in zoos and safaris.[38] [39]

Homogeneity

Africa is often mistaken for a single state,[40] [41] whereas it is a continent with 54 UN member states and two de facto states. This mistake can lead people to think that all Africans belong to one ethnic group, or to apply disparaging stereotypes about one group to another.

Outsiders may have the misconception that there is only one language, known simply as "African". In reality, there are more than 1,000 African languages. Swahili is the single most widely spoken Indigenous African language.[42]

Poverty

Africa is often considered primitive and impoverished.[43] [44] Though poverty exists in Africa, many countries have fast-growing economies.[45]

Many people believe most Africans live "in a mud house in the middle of nowhere". Forty-three percent of Africans live in urban areas,[46] slightly below the global average of 55%.[47]

Technology

In rich countries, Africans are often seen as having no access to modern technology. As of 2013, 80% of Africans had a mobile phone.[48] [49] Internet use in Africa grew by 20% in 2018, reaching 59% of North Africa, 51% of Southern Africa, 39% of West Africa, and 45% of East Africa.[50]

Another common stereotype is that Africans, particularly Nigerians, commit online fraud.[51] [52] The most well-known African scam is the advance-fee scam, nicknamed the "Nigerian prince scam".[53]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Perspectives on Africa: A Reader in Culture, History and Representation. Roy Richard. Grinker. Stephen C.. Lubkemann. Christopher. Steiner. 98. 17 May 2010. John Wiley & Sons. 16 May 2017. Google Books. 9781444335224.
  2. Book: Tamale, Sylvia. African Sexualities: A Reader. 23 June 2011. Fahamu/Pambazuka. 16 May 2017. Google Books. 9780857490162.
  3. Web site: Afrophobia: Europe should confront this legacy of colonialism and the slave trade. Commissioner for Human Rights. 4 March 2019.
  4. Web site: People of African Descent in Europe : A UKREN Briefing Paper. June 2012. Amy Clarke. Ukren.org. 4 March 2019.
  5. Web site: Opinion - The History the Slaveholders Wanted Us to Forget. Henry Louis Jr.. Gates. 4 February 2017. 4 March 2019. The New York Times.
  6. Web site: Invisible Visible Minority. Kisa.org. 4 March 2019.
  7. Web site: European Encounters in the Age of Expansion European Encounters. Guido. Abbattista. Ieg-ego.eu. 4 March 2019.
  8. Web site: The roots of European racism lie in the slave trade, colonialism – and Edward Long - David Olusoga. David. Olusoga. 8 September 2015. 4 March 2019. Theguardian.com.
  9. Web site: Africa Stereotypes in the European media. 26 July 2013. En.ejo.ch. 4 March 2019.
  10. Burrows . Mathew . March 1986 . ‘ Mission Civilisatrice ’: French Cultural Policy in the Middle East, 1860–1914 . The Historical Journal . en . 29 . 1 . 109–135 . 10.1017/S0018246X00018641 . 0018-246X.
  11. Kuper . Hilda . 5 March 1964 . The Colonial Situation in Southern Africa . The Journal of Modern African Studies . 2 . 2 . 149–164 . 10.1017/S0022278X00003979 . 158816 . 154471688.
  12. News: Henriques . Joana Gorjão . 12 September 2011 . Portugal is race blind, but not for the right reasons . The Guardian .
  13. Web site: Tintin 90 years on: Belgian comic book stirs racial controversy . 4 March 2019 . Aljazeera.com.
  14. News: Waterfield . Bruno . 7 August 2007 . Tintin book accused of colonial racism . Telegraph.co.uk . 5 March 2019.
  15. Scholz . Anton . Hutu, Tutsi and the Germans: Racial Cognition in Rwanda Under German Colonial Rule . 31 August 2015 . 1887/35741 . free .
  16. Web site: WCPCG 2013 : The relationship between stereotypes and prejudice toward the Africans in Italian university students . Rossella Falanga . Maria Elvira De Carolia . Elisabetta Sagone . Fmag.uniict.it . 2017-05-23.
  17. 10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.10.114 . Sociocultural Stereotypes in Media and Intercultural Communication (Africa in the Polish Media) . Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences . 154 . 72–76 . 2014 . Ndiayea . Iwona Anna . Ndiayea . Bara . free .
  18. John P. Jackson, Nadine M. Weidman, Race, racism, and science: social impact and interaction, 2005 p. 48
  19. Web site: Comparing black people to monkeys has a long, dark simian history. Charles W.. Mills. Wulf D.. Hund. The Conversation. 5 March 2019.
  20. News: Stereotyping of Africans is everywhere, but Australians are particularly clueless. 7 March 2016. 16 May 2017. The Guardian.
  21. Sato . Makoto . Japanese Aid Diplomacy in Africa : An Historical Analysis . Ritsumeikan Annual Review of International Studies . 4 . 2005 . 67–85 . 33086945 .
  22. Confronting diversity: Africans challenging Japanese societal convictions. Paul. Capobianco. 1 June 2015. Contemporary Japan. 27. 2. 189–212. 10.1515/cj-2015-0011. free.
  23. Book: Lumumba-Kasongo, T.. Japan-Africa Relations. 26 April 2010. Springer. 4 March 2019. Google Books. 9780230108486.
  24. Book: Africa and the North: Between Globalization and Marginalization. Ulf. Engel. Gorm Rye. Olsen. 10 November 2004. Routledge. 4 March 2019. Google Books. 9781134315888.
  25. Web site: Brown . Warner . Map: China's Stereotypes of Africa, from 'Chaotic' Somalia to 'Awesome' Gambia . 4 March 2019 . Foreignpolicy.com.
  26. Web site: Madrid-Morales . Dani . China's media struggles to overcome stereotypes of Africa . 4 March 2019 . The Conversation.
  27. Web site: Madrid-Morales . Dani . Madrid-Morales . Dani . 27 February 2018 . China's media is struggling to overcome its racial stereotypes of Africa . 4 March 2019 . Quartz Africa.
  28. Web site: 29 May 2018 . In China's gaming world, 'Europeans' and 'Africans' expose stereotypes . 4 March 2019 . South China Morning Post.
  29. Web site: The Africa Stereotype. Nydailynews.com. 16 May 2017.
  30. Web site: Africa: Beyond the Stereotypes. Smithsonianmag.com. 16 May 2017.
  31. Web site: Ebola and the History and Politics of Pointing at Immigrants as Potential Disease Vectors. Washingtonpost.com. 4 March 2019.
  32. Web site: The Representation of Africa in Western Media: still a 21st century problem. Researchgate.net. 4 March 2019.
  33. Manya . Sheba Anili . U.S. Mass Media Portrayal of the African Continent: The African Perspective . 20 February 2017 . 11310/104 . free . 989162479 .
  34. Zimmerman . Jonathan . 9 July 2014 . Americans Think Africa Is One Big Wild Animal Reserve . The New Republic . 5 March 2019.
  35. Web site: Is Hollywood ready to stop stereotyping Africa?. David. Jesudason. Bbc.com. 7 July 2022.
  36. Web site: Representations of Africa in the Western News Media: Reinforcing Myths and Stereotypes. Amy E. Harth. Pol.illinoisstate.edu. 4 March 2019.
  37. 2014-07-09 . Americans Think Africa Is One Big Wild Animal Reserve . The New Republic . 16 May 2017.
  38. Web site: Kelland . Zoe . Sanchez . Erica . 12 January 2018 . 15 Reasons African Countries Aren't 'Shitholes' . 19 October 2018 . Global Citizen . Global Poverty Project.
  39. Web site: Beyond Wildlife: Teaching about Africa and Stereotypes. 12 April 2016. Socialstudies.org. 16 May 2017.
  40. News: Teo Kermeliotis . 'Africa is not a country': Campaign dispels stereotypes . Cnn.com . 16 May 2017.
  41. News: Why Africans worry about how Africa is portrayed in western media | Remi Adekoya | Opinion . . 2017-05-23.
  42. Web site: Top 11 Most Spoken Languages in Africa. 2017-10-18. Africa Facts. en-US. 2018-12-19.
  43. Web site: Young Africans embrace Chinese gadgets, shatter stereotypes - Business . Chinadaily.com.cn. 16 May 2017.
  44. Web site: AFRICA BY THE AFRICANS: Young Tastemakers Aim to Challenge Stereotypes - EBONY. Ebony.com. 16 May 2017. 2016-07-22.
  45. Web site: Bremmem . Nur . 2014-12-18 . 7 African countries with booming ecommerce markets . Venturebur.comn . 16 October 2018.
  46. Web site: Urbanization in 2018, by continent . 19 October 2018 . Statista.com.
  47. Web site: Meredith . Sam . 2018-05-17 . Two-thirds of global population will live in cities by 2050, UN says . 2018-12-19 . CNBC.
  48. Web site: African mobile penetration hits 80% (and is growing faster than anywhere else). 2013-12-03. VentureBeat.com. en-US. 2019-03-01.
  49. Web site: TA Telecom White Paper: Africa Telecom Market 2013 Report . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140613141501/http://www.scribd.com/doc/189193509/TA-Telecom-White-Paper-Africa-Telecom-Market-2013-Report . 2014-06-13 . 2022-04-09 . scribd.com.
  50. News: Digital in 2018: Africa's internet users increase by 20%. Africanews.com. 2018-11-07. en.
  51. Web site: Problematic Empowerment: West African Internet Scams as Strategic Misrepresentation. Jenna Burrell. Itidjournal.org. 2 March 2019.
  52. Web site: JILT 2009 (1) - Olowu. Warwick.ac.uk. 2 March 2019.
  53. Web site: FACT CHECK: Nigerian (419) Scam. Mikkelson. David. 17 August 2001. Snopes.com. 2019-03-01.

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