African Culture Research Articles

Book Review: Selina Linda Mudavanhu, Shepherd Mpofu, and Kezia Batisai (eds.). Decolonising Media and Communication Studies Education in Sub-Saharan Africa. London: Routledge, 2024.

This compelling edited volume brings together a diverse group of African scholars who share a deep commitment to dismantling the colonial legacies embedded in media and communication education across sub-Saharan Africa. Decolonising Media and Communication Studies Education in Sub-Saharan Africa, part of the Routledge African Media, Culture and Communication Studies series, is an ambitious and timely contribution to global debates on curriculum transformation, knowledge production, and epistemic justice.

Ethno-linguistic Representation of Mysticism, Engendered Power and Leadership in Fatou Fanny-Cissé’s Madame la Présidente

The sociology of African literature underlines functionality of art as expressions of life and the entire human existence. Thus, the expression of human existence in literature covers individualism and collective consciousness as shown in the highlight of cultural beliefs, cosmos and traditions. Fatou Fanny- Cissé is one of the Francophone African novelists that have highlighted African cultural beliefs and tradition in the areas of mysticism and sociology of engendered power relations. With the qualitative method of textual analysis and literature review, this article adopts Skinner’s behaviourism to critique how Fanny-Cissé has presented mysticism and engendered power and leadership patterns in a fictional African society. A close reading of the novel focuses on the plot, language use, characterization and the subject matter for the extraction of data. The findings reveal that African novelists are often influenced by the collective consciousness as found in the indigenous cultural practices. These indigenous cultural practices also impacted on the socio-cultural relations along the line of gender, race and social class. The protagonist of the novel deploys the mystical resources of African magic to attain, retain and sustain her position as the President of a fictional African society. Thus, the hegemonic representation of Africa magic in literature has had a significant impact on how African culture is perceived and how African literature is consumed. The article, therefore, concludes that the portrayal of African magic in literature is not only a source of mystery and power but a means of conveying deeper message of interconnectedness and a tool for better understanding of the role of African culture in a modern world.

Black Joy as Resistance: Exploring the Lives of African Mothers in Helsinki Through an Abolitionist Lens

ABSTRACT Social work, as a profession rooted in social justice, advocates for marginalized groups. However, social work literature and curricula often depict Black communities through controlling images that emphasize social problems over resilience. The concept of Nordic exceptionalism portrays Finland as a welfare society, largely ignoring its colonial history, neoliberal influences, and ongoing racism. Despite this, contemporary austerity measures in Finland align with the processes identified by abolitionist social work as foundational to the development of a carceral welfare state. This article introduces the concept of Black joy as a counter-narrative to these controlling images within Finnish society. It examines Black joy through the experiences of African mothers living in Helsinki, using their own words and images. By analyzing texts and photographs provided by these mothers, the article employs thematic analysis to understand how these mothers view African motherhood in Finland. Key themes identified include the significance of embracing African culture, resilience, unconditional love, and viewing children as the future. The article concludes by discussing the implications for enhancing Finnish social work education by challenging controlling images of African mothers.

AUGMENTED REALITIES: POWER, IDENTITY, AND REVOLUTION IN THE POST-COLONY

This paper explores the intersection of body augmentation, power, identity, and resistance within postcolonial contexts, focusing on African societies. It delves into how bodily modifications, from traditional practices like scarification, circumcision, and elongation to contemporary technological enhancements, serve as expressions of self-empowerment and cultural identity. The paper draws on key theoretical frameworks from postcolonial studies and the work of scholars like Victoria Pitts, the study examines the symbolic and literal significance of the body as a battleground for race, identity, and power dynamics. Using Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s Wizard of the Crow as a primary text, the paper investigates the role of bodily augmentation in the post-colony, particularly among people of African descent. It highlights how characters in the novel undergo various forms of physical and spiritual transformations to navigate and resist oppressive regimes. This literary analysis is juxtaposed with historical and contemporary practices of body modification, such as the use of tribal marks for identity, circumcision for cultural rites of passage, and the oppressive use of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and limb shortening during conflicts like the Liberian civil war. The paper argues that bodily augmentations in African cultures, whether for traditional, aesthetic, or oppressive purposes, reflect deeper societal values, power structures, and the ongoing impact of colonial legacies. It posits that these practices, while rooted in cultural traditions, are also sites of resistance and negotiation, challenging dominant narratives imposed by colonial powers and contributing to the discourse on postcolonial identity and agency. Through this exploration, the study aims to illuminate the complexities of body politics in postcolonial Africa and the diverse ways individuals and communities reclaim agency and assert their cultural identity.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0908/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Black Culture? I know that's Right!

To most Americans, Michael Jordan is a household name. Jordan first became widely known at the start of his collegiate basketball career at the University of North Carolina in the 1980s. He signed a deal with the Nike shoe company that would eventually change the course of his life and the course of sneaker culture around the world. A new up-and-coming star in the league, Nike took a chance, and it paid off for both parties. The first pair of “Air Jordans” was released to the public on April 1, 1985. Jordan is not alone; however, in commodifying his image. African American culture overall has mastered what it means to be a part of the marketplace.

Exploring African Cultural Ethos in André Brink's <i>A Dry White Season</i>: A Critical Analysis

It is argued here that this research considers Andre Brink’s depiction of African cultural ethos in his novel A Dry White Season with cultural studies as an approach to elucidating the cultural uniqueness of African peoples and their identities. A key point of significance here is the socio-political nature of apartheid and the ways in which the identities of Africans were affected by apartheid. A Dry White Season is characterized as a work of social analysis, considering the issues of culture and ethnic identity. As one example, Brink presents the concept of cultural uniqueness, Black identities, and the socio-political environment of South Africa through the character Ben Du Toit. At first, Du Toit, an uncritically accepting Afrikaner, does not engage in any active activity with the black community. But he soon becomes suspicious and hostile of the apartheid system and joins the movement against apartheid. Similarly, the killing of a black janitor at his school by security police triggers Du Toit’s antipathy to apartheid, and he embraces African spirituality, family, friendships, and many other attributes of African life. In Du Toit’s view of the world, there is a sense of justice. A qualitative research approach based on textual analysis forms the core research method according to the conducted study. The analysis takes an interpretative and exploratory approach to discover cultural identity themes and hybridity alongside resistance elements through the character of the Afrikaner Ben du Toit. This research examines primary data from André Brink’s A Dry White Season alongside secondary data about cultural studies and apartheid-era South Africa and African cultural ethos. The implications of the conclusion of this study are given. A Dry White Season is an important work of literary analysis. This work concludes by demonstrating the importance of the story Brink painted of African cultural ethos in A Dry White Season as an excellent study of the continuing relevance of traditional African culture during a period of extreme adverse conditions. It also emphasizes the critical importance of cultural studies in literary analysis, especially of novels dealing with difficult cultural questions and historical phenomena.

The Arabic linguistic and cultural impact on African languages: focus on Swahili

ABSTRACT There is a long history of Arabic language and culture influencing African languages and cultures. This article studies and pinpoints the primary domains of use where major African languages–Swahili in particular–have greatly borrowed from Arabic. It surveys the linguistic and cultural effects of Arabic on Swahili. Since the ninth century, a significant portion of sub-Saharan Africa has maintained tight cultural, commercial, political, economic, and linguistic ties with the Arabic-speaking world. The article shows that contact with Arabic has enriched the lexicon of these African languages. Although considerable effort and attention have focused on studying loanwords in Swahili, Yoruba, and Hausa, the research on this aspect is far from exhaustive. There is a need to study, from a historical perspective, the multilingual and multicultural contexts that motivated the adoption and adaptation of Arabic script and lexicon.

Abstract 4020: Review of literature on the effect of stress and anxiety among African-American breast and endometrial cancer patients

Abstract African American women face disproportionately higher rates of breast and endometrial cancer recurrence compared to their Caucasian counterparts, highlighting an urgent need to explore the role of stress in cancer progression and recurrence. This study conducts a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the efficacy of stress and anxiety interventions in reducing cancer risk among African American survivors. By analyzing 25 articles from 2014-2024, this review examines the correlation between psychological stress, biological stress markers, and cancer outcomes. The findings emphasize the significant impact of stress on health outcomes, particularly in the context of cortisol's role in metabolism and immune response. The review also explores coping mechanisms, including social support, diet, and exercise, tailored to African American women's cultural and socioeconomic needs. The results underscore the critical need for targeted interventions to address stress in this population, with implications for improving cancer survivorship and advancing healthcare equity. Citation Format: Gabrielle Ford, Zakirah L. Abdul-Hameed, Amirah Burton, Brian M. Rivers, Desiree Rivers. Review of literature on the effect of stress and anxiety among African-American breast and endometrial cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 4020.

Discursive tropes of love in selected songs of Bukola Elemide (a.k.a Àsá)

ABSTRACT Nigerian popular music (NPM) is a conglomerate of diverse cultural forms. Its varied rhythm compellingly appeals to the sensibilities of Nigerians. Existing scholarly debates have interrogated the socio-cultural nuances in Àsá’s lyrics. However, the role of language in constructing the complexities of love, as captured in her lyrics, remains underexplored. This study fuses appraisal theory and the theory of language of motions to describe Àsá’s treatment of the subject of love in her songs. Two of her albums (Àsá, and Beautiful Imperfections) were purposively selected. With recourse to context, Àsá deploys lexical, phrasal, and sentential repetitions, metaphors, pronouns, nominal choices to describe love as being ephemeral, replete with mistrust, unreciprocated, riddled with hurt, romantic, and deep. With particular attention to shared situation and cultural experience, she articulates an irresistible love for motherhood. Within the emotive context, she harps on the significance repentance as a means of developing intimate relationship with God. A study of Àsá’s treatment of love shows a smooth connection between Àsá’s lyrics and her commitment to the subject love as an important aspect of human relations. This paper recommends further contextual engagement of NPM as a means of projecting the ideals of African culture via its musicology.

‘The negro type of beauty’: Black Women modernist muses in Jacob Epstein’s Art, 1915–1959

ABSTRACT This article attends to the forgotten histories of Black women’s work with major British sculptor Jacob Epstein, who drew inspiration from African diasporic art and cultures, in the process documenting Black lives in modern England. Though Epstein’s cultivation of modernist art drawn from African inspiration has been discussed down the years by art historians, the Black women and women of colour who chose to work with him and their significance as historical subjects has received almost no scholarly attention, except for Caroline Bressey and Gemma Romain’s 2014 Tate Britain exhibition Spaces of Black Modernism. This is in stark contrast to the alarm and dismay Epstein’s love affair with Blackness caused in the popular, high-brow and art press at the time. This essay refocuses attention on the lives of Black art models, including Hélène Yelin-Cox, Daisy Dunn, Madeleine Bechet and Malvina ‘Vena’ Fraser, working with Epstein and others in the early to mid-twentieth century. It pieces together fragments of their biographies and sets these details in historical and cultural context, as well as in relationship to Epstein and Black Modernism.

Towards Environmental Restoration and Sustainability: Embracing the African Ubuntu Philosophy

Cultural beliefs and philosophies are foundational and fundamental in shaping a society and its natural environment. Lately, there have been various discussions about the values of the African Ubuntu philosophy in many aspects as it relates to issues of environmental degradation and restoration, human relationships, business ethics and corporate governance. As a governing philosophy, Ubuntu is inclusive in nature as it considers all members of society as one entity aiming at achieving one purpose. Within the same context, this paper discusses the importance of cultural beliefs and philosophies in shaping society and the natural environment, with a focus on the African Ubuntu philosophy. The paper aims to explore how Ubuntu's principles can offer insights for mitigating environmental degradation, achieving ecological balance, and ensuring a sustainable future. It highlights that while legal frameworks like the Plastics Treaty are essential, cultural norms and beliefs rooted in African heritage can play a crucial role in environmental restoration. The paper argues that in addition to formal legal instruments, non-formal norms, customs, ethics, and beliefs that are deeply rooted in African cultures can play a crucial role in environmental restoration and sustainability. It explores how the Ubuntu philosophy, which emphasizes interconnectedness among people, nature, and the cosmos, can inform efforts to mitigate environmental degradation and promote ecological balance. The paper aims to inspire a global dialogue on how Ubuntu philosophy can transcend geographical and cultural boundaries to address the plastic pollution crisis and foster a sustainable future for our generations to come.

Where does ‘witchcraft’ come into the crime?: Rationality for judicial decisions in former British African states

There is bias surrounding different cultural beliefs. For example, African philosophies and superstitions are viewed as bizarre by some. However, it is important to demonstrate respect towards different ways of thinking and Professor Kiyoshi Umeya, a professor of Social Anthropology at Kobe University, is conducting fieldwork to expand views on different beliefs, including ideas on witchcraft. An element of Umeya’s work is Japanese culture post-natural disaster, including the refusal to relocate in the wake of a disaster due to strong religious beliefs and ancestral rituals. The prejudice that anthropological work is useless is changing and Umeya and his team are now managing a project to assist local governments to enhance their operations. The researchers want to create opportunities for postgraduate students to engage directly with society and contribute to the operation and improvement of the system and are seeking to increase students’ contact with African culture and society through practical training. This includes taking students to a village in Uganda to compare it with modern and urban life and to have them trace the fieldwork Umeya has done. In parts of Africa, witchcraft-related crime has become a social problem and Umeya believes it is important to lean in and understand it in its context in order to be able to take steps to curb aggressive and violent beliefs. He is working to develop a model for reducing witchcraft related crime, which involves first understanding the legal systems that recognise witchcraft as a crime and those that do not.

Aflac extends support for Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Aflac extends support for Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Women and Femininity in Setswana Proverbs: Pragmatic Analysis

Many African cultures have been discredited, ridiculed and negated. This study offers a different perspective on understanding African cultures. The article visits one of the oldest forms of literature in African societies, oral literature, focusing on proverbs to unpack gender issues embedded within proverbs. This article analyses a selected number of Setswana proverbs and studies how they encompass feminist ideas and empower women. The study argues that the Batswana have always provided women with social and cultural power and strength through proverbs. The question of how Africans empower women through conversations, riddles, proverbs, idioms and sayings should receive more attention in academic circles. African institutions have cultural norms and values that empower and celebrate women. The article uses gender equality perspectives and feminist frameworks to analyse and examine the selected Setswana proverbs that suggest or promote women’s empowerment. These proverbs portray women as powerful, independent, caring, tender and loving. The interpretation of these proverbs also depicts matriarchy as a common feature of the Batswana people.

An Afrocentric Treatise of Psalm 105 as an Instructional Song on Historical Divine Exclusivity

The use of songs for instructional purposes is a shared tradition in both African folk culture and the Hebrew scriptures. This article examines Psalm 105 as a song which emphasises divine exclusivity, drawing connections to African song traditions that serve to preserve essential beliefs for future generations. While all psalms were originally sung, their melodies have been lost over time, though they continue to be used in liturgical contexts. However, scholarly analysis of the psalms as songs has declined. This article begins by exploring the role of songs in African traditional cultures as tools for information retention and teaching, highlighting their parallels with the psalms. It then provides an analysis of Psalm 105 and concludes with the implications of viewing the psalms through the lens of song.

Sustainable insect proteins vs. conventional proteins as fillings in gluten-free oat-based breakfast wraps: nutritional, microbial, and sensory quality

Aim: Livestock production plays a significant role in meeting global protein demands but is a major contributor to climate change. With the world population projected to reach 9 billion by 2050, identifying sustainable alternative protein sources has become more critical than ever. Edible insects offer an affordable protein option compared to beef, chicken, and fish, especially in many African and Asian cultures, where these conventional protein sources are considered relatively expensive. This study aimed to investigate the potential of mulberry silkworm pupae and African palm weevil larvae as alternative proteins to conventional protein sources for use in gluten-free wraps. Methods: Five gluten-free breakfast wraps were developed using oat flour and fillings made from beef, chicken, mackerel fish, palm weevil larvae, and silkworm pupae. The nutritional composition (amino acid and fatty acid profiles, micronutrient contents) and chemical, microbial, and sensory properties were determined using standard methods. Results: The wraps had protein contents ranging from 23.78% to 35.60%. Breakfast wrap with palm weevil larvae had slightly more fiber (4.01%) and carbohydrate (36.11%) contents and lower fat (10.22%) compared to the other wraps. It also had an impressive vitamin A content (528.96 μg RAE/100 g) and an exceptional amino acid profile. The insect wraps had more vitamin B12 (0.02 mg/g) contents than the conventional wraps. The fish-based version was the most preferred of all the wraps, with an overall acceptability score of 7.80. All developed products were within permissible limits for microbial quality. Conclusions: Edible insects, such as palm weevil larvae and silkworm pupae, could serve as an alternative source of protein in the production of gluten-free foods.

Family-Centred Early Hearing Detection and Intervention in the African Context: Relevance and Responsiveness to African Culture.

Family-centred early hearing detection and intervention (FC-EHDI) is an established framework globally recognized for its emphasis on family involvement in supporting children who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH). In the African context, unique sociocultural and systemic challenges necessitate tailored approaches to ensure effective implementation. This narrative review explores the relevance of FC-EHDI in Africa, highlights barriers to its implementation, and offers recommendations for creating sustainable and culturally aligned interventions. A narrative review methodology synthesizing evidence from African countries to examine the intersection of FC-EHDI with cultural practices, systemic barriers, and opportunities for innovation was adopted. Databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched for peer-reviewed journal articles, books, and reports published between 2000 and 2024. Keywords included "family-centred care", "EHDI", "Africa", "cultural responsiveness", and "early hearing detection and intervention". Studies were included if they addressed EHDI in African contexts, explored family-centred approaches, or provided barriers and recommendations specific to the region. Thematic analysis was employed to synthesize findings into barriers, evidence, and strategies for FC-EHDI implementation. Data were extracted and analysed thematically to identify patterns and gaps in knowledge. Key challenges identified include resource limitations, economic constraints, linguistic and cultural diversity, and fragmented healthcare systems. Evidence highlights the effectiveness of community-based care, linguistic inclusivity, and culturally tailored interventions in enhancing family engagement and programme outcomes. Recommendations focus on leveraging technology, interdisciplinary collaboration, and policy advocacy. FC-EHDI offers a transformative approach to addressing DHH African children by integrating family involvement, cultural responsiveness, and systemic innovations. Future efforts should emphasize technology, scalable models, and family empowerment to create sustainable and equitable services.

Naming South African frogs and reptiles in nine Indigenous languages

ABSTRACT Scientific taxonomy, as a standardised means of communicating about wildlife, might have limited use or relevance for wildlife conservation stakeholders with minimal understanding of scientific names. Indigenous language names can improve species-specific communication with non-expert conservation stakeholders due to their familiarity. Indigenous names for wildlife are, however, not specific to all scientifically described species and are seldom documented for wider use. To have a folk-formal taxonomy that is familiar to non-expert stakeholders in herptile (amphibians and reptiles) conservation and useable by experts, we conducted the first comprehensive analysis of nine South African Indigenous cultures’ naming and classification of herptiles based on Indigenous language names recorded from an online questionnaire and existing literature. Etic and emic analyses of the collected names revealed the underlying guidelines of folk taxonomy and its comparability to scientific taxonomy respectively. Furthermore, taxonomic correspondence analysis provided an understanding of the correspondence between scientific species and Indigenous language delineation of herptile diversity. Multiple scientific species are generally grouped together into a single folk taxon based on observed similarities and only a few Indigenous language names are specific to scientific species. The underlying guidelines of folk taxonomy and their comparability and correspondence to scientific taxonomy were the basis for extending the generalised Indigenous names of herptiles into a comprehensive list of names for South Africa’s 543 scientifically described herptile species (136 frog and 407 reptile species) in the nine official South African Indigenous languages.

Consolidating or Deconsolidating Security? Analyses of the Security Implications of the Exit of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali from ECOWAS

Abstract In recent years, the dramatic changes in cooperation and alliance of states and peoples, particularly the “Sahexit” has sparked significant interest and debates among scholars. Ancient African societies and cultures sought to integrate their energies and resources to survive, fight common enemies, withstand common threats, or contemporarily, resolve disputes. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), anchored on Pan-African ideals of nonalignment, unity, and indivisibility of the destiny of African peoples, expanded its initial scope for economic purposes to deal with the rising security challenges in West Africa. Yet, ECOWAS continues to struggle with insurgent activities, recurrent coup d’etats, and more recently the threat of succession from Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali (“Sahexit”). Drawing on Regional Security Complex and human security perspectives, and the literature on Pan Africanism, this paper examines the security challenges of Sahexit for the subregion. It argues that Sahexit poses significant security challenges to the fragile security situation in the subregion particularly at the regional, state, and individual levels. The exit will weaken ECOWAS regional security cooperation, disrupt coordinated regional strategies, and leave major gaps in joint security operations and intelligence sharing, and complicate insecurities in the subregion. The paper concludes with recommendations to mitigate the security challenges.

‘They Declared War on Fish!’ An Eighteenth-Century Algerian Folk Poem on the 1770 Danish-Norwegian Bombardment of Algiers

ABSTRACT This article presents and analyses an eighteenth-century Algerian folk poem (malḥūn) about the 1770 Danish-Norwegian bombardment of Algiers, referred to in Algerian sources as ‘The Poem of the Bomb’. By reading this poem in conjunction with other previously overlooked late eighteenth-century Algerian sources, namely Ibn Ruqayyah al-Tilimsānī’s The Radiant Flower Regarding the Attacks of the Infidels on Algiers and al-Sharīf al-Zahhār’s Memoire, I aim to highlight the importance of engaging with these neglected non-European and non-Eurocentric sources that offer the Algerian perspective on the 1769–1772 Danish-Algerian War and the 1770 bombardment of Algiers. Furthermore, in addition to analysing the poem’s use of Romance loanwords associated with corsairs and piracy, I draw comparisons with an older Algerian folk poem, ‘My Corsair Has Won a Booty’, about the Algerian-Ottoman siege of Malta in 1565. Finally, through a comparative examination of the glorified portrayal of the Ottoman Dey Muḥammad Bāchā and the Turkish military oligarchy in ‘The Poem of the Bomb’ and the anti-Ottoman sentiment prevalent in Maghribī Arabic and Tamazight folk poetry lamenting the French conquest of Algiers in 1830, I shed light on what I see as a significant textual and discursive shift in the representation of Ottomans and Turks in Algerian and North African history, literature, and culture.