A History of African Popular Culture

Rezensionen / Stimmen

'In chapters packed with sparkling new visions of a field she helped to define a quarter-century ago, Karin Barber's book combines historical depth, careful attention to 'life on the ground', and discussions of popular culture from the whole continent without losing the complexity of each art form. This book is a transformative must-read for anybody with an interest in African everyday cultures.' S. Newell, Yale University, Connecticut 'Barber has written yet another milestone in the study of African popular culture. The quality of its prose and the wide range of scholarship covered make this book an instant classic. Music, dance, and other aesthetic forms are carefully yet critically situated in their social contexts, such as migrant labor, city life, and electronic modernity. A must for anyone interested in African societies, cultural history and popular arts.' Katrien Pype, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium 'Barber's exploration of popular culture producers and the reservoirs they tap of local resonance and trans-local flows is magisterial. Extracting fresh insight from studies across Africa, she upends existing theoretical models by showing how publics produce meaning through the act of consumption, and how producers continually consume to create anew.' Kelly Askew, University of Michigan