When it comes to valuable African fossils, much is at stake. They often unearth disputed ways of debating archaeology as a science of ‘discovery’.
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Arts, Culture + Society – Articles, Analysis, Comment
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Cultural imperialism and looting were part and parcel of the colonial project. Today, some argue this legacy continues. But in a globalised society, where does borrowing end and appropriation begin?
Daytime television talk shows are known for their confrontational style. But there is a different model: a harmonious, cohesive and relational approach may offer a better way to communicate.
Many broadcasters around the world enforce local content quotas to ensure their television industries’ survival. But the success of these measures varies widely.
Consensual same-sex conduct is a crime in 38 African countries. The media in those countries are very much in cahoots with their rulers. But they’re getting their comeuppance from Twitter.
In response to high levels of crime, South Africans have turned their homes into fortresses, seeking security behind high walls. But doing so might be counter-productive.
Red berets, hard hats, overalls and domestic workers’ uniforms have become a prominent part of South African politics. But these are more than just props for the EFF political party.
Two recent controversial cartoons depicting people as apes have raised an important question: what are the legal and philosophical distinctions between harm and offence?
Fifty years ago US Senator Robert F Kennedy visited South Africa. A new documentary about RFK’s visit puts the spotlight on an important part of the country’s history.
In 2015 more people around the world died while taking selfies than were killed by sharks. Many tourist landmarks have banned the taking of selfies and selfie sticks to prevent untimely accidents.
The rhetoric of racial purity is full of suggestive terms like illness, weakening and dilution. These imply the medicalisation of the nation.
Papa Wemba was one of the most active ambassadors of Congolese urban music on the global stage. He did this by fusing international musical styles with authentic Congolese grooves.
Nigerian superstar Fela Kuti used his music as an art form that provoked. This wasn’t only through politics, but also sex.
Congolese singer Papa Wemba might have been one of Africa’s best loved musicians - but his politics wasn’t popular with all his compatriots.
Popular African musician Papa Wemba, who died recently, has been close to the heartbeat of the continent’s music. His influence will continue long after his death.
Superstar Prince’s impact went far beyond the realm of music. His relevance stretched beyond the concert hall into many lecture rooms.
Utopianism is a neglected prism through which to view Africa. It is the space where the intricacies of decolonisation and independence can be properly comprehended.
The world’s third-largest movie industry in Nigeria is in danger of collapse. It is not to do with patrons staying away from the films. It is caused by a menace right in the heart of the industry.
Many middle-class parents buy classical CDs because it is supposed to make their kids clever. But a jazz-loving academic has started using her favourite genre in early childhood learning.
It took ages for one of African jazz’s hidden masterpieces to be reissued. Still today, four decades later, 1976’s ‘African Songbird’ tells volumes about the politics of the time.
Hip-hop artists do it differently in a town in one of South Africa’s poorest provinces. Eschewing the archetypal hip-hop lifestyle, Grahamstown’s rappers propose a surprising alternative.
Colourism - or discrimination based on the skin tone - manifests in different ways across the world. In the main it means that light skin is seen as desirable and dark skin as undesirable.
South African jazz is experiencing a new wave like seldom before. One of its strongest proponents, jazz veteran Carlo Mombelli, has just released a new album.
How do Afrikaners find a place in post-apartheid South Africa? A look back at the dissidents who took on the apartheid state over decades offers some examples.
Many musical bow instruments, especially in southern Africa, are disappearing due to the decreasing numbers of players and variations of instruments.