The National Sport of South Africa
Social progressives in South Africa would like to believe otherwise, but the country is mostly socially rightwing and conservative.
Politics
Jeffrey Gettleman, Our Man in Kenya
Is the New York Times' correspondent in East Africa, a journalist or just someone relaying stereotypes?
He must be American
A true competitive selection process may have turn up the best possible candidate as head of UNICEF and not power politics.
The Poor White Problem
Poor whites don't even make up 5% of the poor. Contrast that to more than 60% of blacks. But that's not a story for foreign media.
Postmodernism on Ice
The Winter Olympics features a Russian skaters who dress in animal skin costumes to perform to an "Aboriginal Song." There's more.
The Vice TV Guide to Liberia
At minimum, VICE's work demonstrates there are stories to tell about Africa that can reach an audience beyond public television.
Johannesburg’s Media World Cup
European media's lopsided attempts to make sense of South Africa ahead of the World Cup, continues.
Wole Soyinka Loves Bean Pies
Africa's first Nobel literature laureate is accused of Islamophobia. It is not his first time.
Rhythm like you’ve never seen
No one mixes nationalism, tourism and sport in a feel-good cocktail quite like the South African advertising industry.
The Dadis Show
The most lasting legacy of Guinea's just deposed recent military leader, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, was his media tactics.
Working class Coloured life in South Africa
The film "Shirley Adams" is the story of a coloured mother in Mitchell's Plain in Cape Town, struggling to care for her recently disabled son.
Where is Angola?
A random terror attack on a football team gets media to pay attention to the conflict in Cabinda. In the process, they also expose their ignorance.
Delayed and watered down
You don't come to Africa Is a Country for positive news and analysis. This week's round-up won't disappoint you.
South Africans fought for freedom, but won democracy
The famed South African musician Hugh Masekela has a history of speaking his mind on postapartheid politics.
Who will get rich
The fantasy that local people - small businesspeople, informal traders, especially black people - will make money or get jobs during the 2010 World Cup.
All black people look the same
A TV news anchor confuses Jesse Jackson with Al Sharpton. Then blames the teleprompter. This is journalism.
No good African leaders
Mo Ibrahim can't find a suitable candidate for the good governance award he hands out to the best former African leader once a year.
Botswana Blues
Botswana's been governed by the same party since independence in 1966. There's no crisis of democracy in Botswana.
The most important African country to the U.S.
What came across as recognition of Africa Is a Country from a US State Department official, was more a case of speaking too fast.
Too many films about the 2010 World Cup
Here's some things I did not have the time to blog about properly or link to this past week. It's Weekend Special.