Sunday, July 21, 2013

Yaaya At: Africa Writes 2013 | The Case For And Against 'Afropolitanism'

On July 7th 2013, Yaaya attended a talk entitled ‘Fantasy or Reality? Afropolitan Narratives of the 21st Century’, hosted by the Royal African Society as part of their programme of events for Africa Writes. Already familiar with the term Afropolitanism, and its increasing popularity to define a particular kind of ‘African’ and African experience, we wanted to discover if this relatively nebulous term held any weight.

Indeed, we entered the doors of the British Library’s conference centre armed with pre-conceived notions about this new ‘philosophy’, which seems to describe economically mobile, well-travelled, educated young Africans. You know, the type of African that may have been born and raised in a suburb in Nairobi, parties in Johannesburg to the sounds of Angolan House music, schooled at the London School of Economics for their undergraduate degree, holds an MBA from Columbia University in New York, and works in Berlin.

With an exciting panel of guests such as the highly esteemed Professor Paul Gilroy, acclaimed blogger and MsAfropolitan founder, Minna Salami, Journalist Nana Ocran and Visual Sociologist Dr Emma Dabiri, the case for and against Afropolitanism was made!

The Case for Afropolitanism - Minna Salami

  1. Afropolitanism is derived from the word ‘Africa’ and ‘Cosmopolitan’. Cosmopolitanism is linked to globalisation, which is not a new experience for Africa, as the continent has taken part in intercultural exchanges with different regions and nations for a millennia.

  2. Africa has not only lost out from these cultural exchanges, but have greatly benefited from them, which has enabled African citizens to play a huge role in shaping the world.

  3. Afropolitanism and Pan-Africanism are hugely complimentary. A younger sibling to Pan-Africanism, Afropolitanism has links to new technology, social media, contemporary arts, fashion etc. At its core, it’s about being enlightened about other parts of the continent, and the different experiences and lifestyles there, thus highlighting how the term embraces and describes a shared African citizenship.

  4. Afropolitanism is not a new identity, or a new kind of African, or a new way to be African. Rather, it’s a way to engage with Africa and the world simultaneously.

  5. It’s a philosophy about Africa and it’s citizens, for those that find themselves in the continent, or who have been forced to migrate willingly or unwillingly.

The Case Against Afropolitanism - Nana Ocran

  1. It’s relationship with Pan-africanism is tenuous, as it raises the questions “who is and who isn’t an Afropolitan?" and “Does it include those from the Caribbean diaspora?"

  2. It’s an urbanised term that seems to be associated with city life and experiences.

  3. Title’s feel reductive and assumptive, with Afropolitanism the term appears to hold a narrow definition.

The Case Against Afropolitanism - Dr Emma Dabiri

  1. Afropolitanism seems to sideline insights into race, modernity and identity, in favour of consumerist narratives about Africans and Africa.

  2. The term supports a compartmentalisation of society along lines of wealth instead of challenging it, as seen through the promotion and celebration of sex- in- the- city lifestyles, designer clothes, bags and shoes.

  3. It insinuates that the value of Africans and Africa is determined by our ability to reproduce Africanised versions of a western lifestyles e.g palm wine mojitos and OK magazine.

  4. The commodification of African culture that the term seems to reflect, is dangerous as it serves corporate interests, by placing the capitalism at the heart African culture. This appears to strengthen the commerce of blackness as seen with African - American culture.

  5. Afropolitanism arguably tries to challenge negative narratives about Africa and Africans. However it does this by privileging certain types of African experiences i.e successful, well - travelled and wealthy Africans, in a context where poverty millions still suffer from poverty, and where majority of Africans have not travelled to, or lived in the Western world.

  6. Afropolitanism has connotations of being ‘hip’ and progressive. However it is not clear whether these so called Afropolitans are concerned with consciously engaging with the world beyond their own social spheres, to issues that affect the vast majority of Africans.


For us, identity and experience is an important part of our work as we attempt to showcase and articulate the experiences of black women living in Europe. Naturally, identity, heritage, historical roots, and feelings of belonging, play a significant part in how a person defines themselves in a continent that represents another home. We haven’t yet heard anyone define themselves as an Afropolitan, however it certainly does speak to the experiences of those of some Africans, and their relationship and experiences with the different continents they have call home, despite its exclusive and commercially driven characteristics.

Image Source | Image is copyright of Yaaya.

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