China's Cultural Presence in Africa

 The Stuttgart-based Institut fur Auslandsbeziehungen published in 2023 a major study titled "China's Institutionalised Cultural Presence in Africa: Cultural Investments, Perceptions and Implications for China-Africa Cultural Relations" by Avril Joffe.

This study, which is available online, provides insight into Chinese international cultural policy.  There is a special focus on South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria.  There are sections on China's strategy in Africa, Chinese investments in cultural infrastructure, media, film, music, Confucius Institutes, libraries, studying in China, and perceptions of China in Africa.  

China's Cultural Presence in Africa

 The Institut fur Auslandsbeziehungen published in 2023 a lengthy study titled "China's Institutionalised Cultural Presence in Africa: Cultural Investments, Perceptions and Implications for China-Africa Cultural Relations" by Avril Joffe.

The author conducted interviews with 31 artists, cultural professionals, academics, government officials, media houses, and non-governmental organizations in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia.

The study's findings highlight the complexity of Chinese engagement in Africa and the various facets of its associated impacts.  The author suggests that African  actors should ensure that a more equitable engagement develops, where conditions are determined by local needs and culture, and more aggressively advocate for equality, needs, and respect for national sovereignty.  The presence of China in Africa is largely driven by China rather than African governments.  

China's Wolf Warrior II and Its Meaning for Africa

 The Conversation published on 1 September 2022 a commentary titled "Wolf Warrior II: What the Blockbuster Movie Tells Us about China's Views on Africa" by Yu Xiang, Shanghai University, and Jinpu Wang, Syracuse University. 

The 2017 film tells the story of an exiled elite Chinese soldier who travels to an unnamed African country and gets caught in the middle of a civil war between government troops and mercenaries.  The hero rescues African and Chinese civilians and defeats the mercenaries.  China is portrayed as a beacon of hope, development, and peace in Africa.

The authors note that it has been five years since the release of Wolf Warrior II.  Yet the nationalism and racism in the film have not faded within China.  Indeed they have grown stronger, especially on social media in China.

Ethiopia and the "Black Panther" Movie

The Washington Post published on 27 February 2018 an article titled "Africa's Real Wakanda and the Struggle to Stay Uncolonized" by Paul Schemm.

The Marvel comics movie "Black Panther" has wowed audiences across the United States and around the world. The author discusses how Ethiopian history may have inspired the mythical African kingdom of Wakanda portrayed in the movie.