Despite the lament that there is little press coverage of Africa, there are many stories about Africa in the U.S. media. Why is so much written detailing “unimaginable” horror and suffering about a place we imagine is ignored? Perhaps the dire tone that characterizes the coverage facilitates Africa's marginalization or paves the way for “benevolent” interventions into Africa. Perhaps these imaginings are not so much about Africa as they are about the United States—American identity, history, dreams, and fears—in a multicultural society increasingly ill at ease with itself.
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