Mistaking Africa

This is an engaging and now newly updated exploration of the origins of American stereotypes about Africa, where they appear in our culture, and why they persist. For many Americans the mention of Africa immediately conjures up images of safaris, ferocious animals, strangely dressed 'tribesmen,' and impenetrable jungles. Although the occasional newspaper headline raises consciousness about genocide, AIDS, malaria, or civil war in Africa, most people know very little about the continent. However many still carry strong mental images of Africa, which are reflected in American advertising, movies, amusement parks, cartoons, and many other comers of our society.Few think to question these perceptions or how they came to be so deeply lodged in the collective American consciousness. Curtis Keim's "Mistaking Africa" looks at the historical evolution of this mindset and examines the role that popular media plays in the creation of mental images of Africa. Keim addresses the most prevalent myths and preconceptions, and demonstrates how these prevent a true understanding of the enormously diverse peoples and cultures of Africa. Updated throughout, the second edition includes an entirely revised chapter on Africa in images, which analyzes portrayals of Africa in popular media, including print advertising by corporations such as Dow Chemical, ExxonMobil, IBM, "Vogue" magazine, Honda, and Snapple. New to the second edition as well is an appendix on learning more about Africa.