African Cities: Pop Culture and Politics

Catalog description

The African city is a vibrant space of creativity and pluralism that brings together people from different backgrounds, which is evident in the various artistic expressions such as music, film, graffiti and fashion. The city-space can also be a site of tensions where opposing forces or entities have to coexist by negotiating their work and living spaces. In addition, as a place for the realization of the individual, the city is a space of dreams and adversity. So, the city is not only a space of creative vibrancy but also of hustling which highlights resourcefulness in the face of everyday struggles. The study of the African metropolis will critically look at contemporary African cultures and everyday life beyond the exotic images of timeless rural Africa which are often relayed by the media. Reading selections include texts from theorists such as Achille Mbembe, Mamadou Diouf, Frederic Le Marcis and Walter Benjamin. Built around an interdisciplinary approach, the course materials draw on music, fashion, film and the arts in the African city-space.