What has the re-envisioning of Africa got to do with issues of diversity? Everything! This article first appeared in tbd* on 22 July 2021. What does the re-envisioning of Africa have to do with issues of diversity? Everything! How the continent is perceived shapes how her children are treated worldwide. First to be accused, last to be…
Category: Opinion
Poverty Voyeurism is unhealthy for both victims and perpetrators – Part II
Poverty voyeurism is an obnoxious behaviour that produces negative psychological, economic, and social consequences. The diasporan dilemma For the African diasporan, the single story from Africa imposes a forced way to present oneself as an African in order to fit the narrative that is authentically African. Dress wretched otherwise you will be suspected of dealing…
Poverty Voyeurism is unhealthy for both victims and perpetrators – Part I
Poverty voyeurism is an obnoxious behaviour that produces negative psychological, economic, and social consequences. In 2018, Aljazeera carried a story of tourists visiting the Kibera slum in Nairobi, Kenya. These tourists had travelled several thousand kilometers to watch and take pictures of the disadvantaged like wildlife. No consent given; no respect offered. People were just…
Our misframing of civilization leads to irresponsible production and consumption
A Reflection by Dr. Theresia Bilola My research into the sustainable development goals has highlighted something intriguing. Some of the goals are the most challenging for industrialized countries to reach. More specifically industrialized countries struggle to ensure that their consumption and production patterns are sustainable. What is the root cause of this ‘struggle’ and who…
Are academic contradictions derailing the sustainability train?
Sustainability is a useful buzzword. Despite the current turbulence, it is one of the few things a vast majority of people seem to agree with; that we are not living sustainably. However, there is a nuanced and disturbing part to such a view. Not everyone consumes unsustainably. In the past decades, some had little to…
COVID-19: The good, the bad and the way forward
It is easy and perhaps natural to blame COVID-19 for our present ills, including lockdowns, masking fatigue, immobility, vaccine dilemma and stress. However, it was not unexpected. COVID-19, like all outbreaks, warned us in detail well in advance before it showed up. And when it did on a smaller scale, we allowed it to fester…