African Youth in Contemporary Literature and Popular Culture: Identity Quest (Routledge African Studies)

This book explores how African youth are depicted in contemporary literature and popular culture, and discusses the different ways by which they attempt to construct personal and cultural identities through popular culture and social media outlets. The contributors approach the subject from an interdisciplinary perspective, looking at images in children's and adolescent literature from Africa, and the African diaspora, from Nollywood and Hollywood movies, from popular magazines, and from youth cultures encountered directly through field experiences. The findings reveal that there are many stereotypes about Africa, African youth and black cultures, and that African youth are aware of these. Since they juggle multiple identities shaped by their ethnicities, race and religion, it is often a challenge for them to define themselves. As they also share a global youth culture that transcends these cultural markers, some take advantage of media outlets to voice their concerns and participate in political struggles. Others simply use these to promote their personal interests. Contributors ponder the challenges involved in constructing unique identities, offering ideas on how African youth are doing so successfully or not in different parts of the continent and the African diaspora, and thus offer new possibilities for youth studies. African Youth : Cultural Identity In Literature, Media And Imagined Spaces / Vivian Yenika-agbaw And Lindah Mhando -- Gender Bending And Identity Construction In Jelloun's The Sand Child / Lindah Mhando And Vivian Yenika-agbaw -- Childhood Creative Spaces And Survival Spaces In Sade Adeniran's Imagine This / Suzanne Marie Ondrus -- Edwidge Danticat's Breath, Eyes, Memory : A Critique On The Tradition Of Testing / Renee Latchman -- Sankofa's Songbirds : African American Children As Culture Bearers In Jazz-infused Children's Literature / Ada Mckenzie -- African American Boys' Responses To Illustrations And Text Involving Black Inmates And Gangsters In Multicultural Children's Literature / Mary Ellen Oslick -- The Global Outsiders And Colonized : African Child Soldiers And Inner-city African American Teen Gangsters In Adolescent Literature / Yoo Kyung Sung -- Continuing The Conversation : Consider Morality In African Diaspora Nonfiction Picture Books / Shanetia Clark And Barbara A. Marinak -- The Exotic, Mysterious And Darkest Africa / Seemi Aziz -- Breaking Barriers : African Knowledge Systems As Windows To Understanding African Childhood In A United States Social Studies Classroom / Lewis Asimeng-boahene -- The Rise Of Sheng : A Socio-linguistic Revolution From Below / Michael Wairungu -- How African Youth Control Their Identities Through Social Media / Stephen Ekema-agbaw And Vivian Yenika-agbaw -- Social Media And North African Arab Spring Youth Identity / Wafa Hozien -- Nollywood Whispers As A Beacon Of Hope For Youths / Agatha Ada Ukata -- Planète Jeunes : African Youth Cultures And Globalization / Nalova Westbrook. Edited By Vivian Yenika-agbaw And Lindah Mhando. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This book explores competing discourses on youth culture in Africa and the diaspora. Contributors examine constructions of African/black youth cultural identities in literature, popular culture, and social media. Students and scholars interested in youth and black studies will find this volume to be an excellent resource.