In the final chapter of Mistaking Africa (Chapter 12 From Imagination to Dialogue) Keim and Somerville argue that presuming African people are ‘not inferior, just different’ is not a solution to evolutionism, and instead propose that we move from imagination to dialogue with Africa.
In Born a Crime, Trevor Noah compares the teaching of the Holocaust to German students to the teaching of apartheid to South African students. He recalls: “In South Africa, the atrocities of apartheid have never been taught that way. We weren’t taught judgment or shame… Facts, but not many, and never the emotional or moral dimension” (p. 185). Given his assertion, how does Born a Crime complicate how African history and current events might be taught, and the importance of including stories like Noah’s? How does Born a Crime complicate the single story of Africa, or help us move from imagination to dialogue, like Keim and Somerville argue we must do? Finally, why is it important to do so? Illuminate with at least two examples from Born a Crime.
Your essay should be 2 – 4 double-spaced pages with 1inch margins in Times New Roman 12- point font. Please proofread and cite your sources in a works cited section at the end of your essay.
Rubric:
20 points Analytical Framework: Essay clearly explains what Keim and Somerville, in the concluding chapter , mean by shifting from ‘imagination’ to ‘dialogue.’ Essay also explains what the single story of Africa is, noting common misrepresentations.
20 points Content: Essay shows a close reading of Born a Crime, using at least two examples from the book that are appropriate to the argument.
10 points Application of Concepts: Essay makes a clear argument about how Born a Crime
complicates the single story of Africa, and why it is important to do so.
10 points Composition and Style: Clear organization, with topic sentences, an introduction and conclusion . Essay is carefully edited for grammar, spelling, and mechanics. Essay uses citations in-text and includes a works-cited section in Chicago, Harvard, or APA format
Requirements: 2-4 pages