Based on an analysis of print media and journalists’ interviews, this article examines the representation of atrocity and mass violence in Africa. It specifically focuses on the atrocities in Darfur and Rwanda and compares African and Western coverage of them. It argues that since representations (just as the knowledge that anchors them) are highly dependent on one’s social location, it is necessary to understand multiple representations of the same atrocity. Although the literature on representation of Africa has been critical of Western representations of Africa, this article argues that including African representations of the same provides for a more nuanced understanding. It uses interview data from Kenya and South Africa, both of which have had peacekeeping engagements in Sudan. Kenya and South Africa also have media fields that are more robust and freer than many other countries in the continent.
*Pre-Print abstract*Based on an analysis of print media and journalists’ interviews, thisarticle examines the representation of atrocity and mass violence inAfrica. It specifically focuses on the atrocities in Darfur and Rwanda andcompares African and western coverage of them. It argues that sincerepresentations (just as the knowledge that anchors them) are highlydependent on one’s social location it is necessary to understand multiplerepresentations of the same atrocity. Though literature on representationof Africa has been critical of western representations of Africa, thisarticle argues that including African representations of the same providesfor a more nuanced understanding.
*Pre-print Abstract *Using a combination of content analysis and interviews, this chapter of mydissertation analyses who African media houses anoint as credible knowledgecarriers when covering mass atrocities. It analyses news reports on Darfurfrom Rwanda, South Africa and Kenya between 2004 and 2008 and argues thatAfrican media fields are engaging in pushing to the periphery Africanvoices in the narrative construction about atrocities. This chapteremphasizes not only a different approach when studying representations ofAfrica but also poses challenges to scholarship on media representations ofAfrica that have focused on critiquing western representation on Africawhile not turning their gaze towards African media fields.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.