Overview

Moving far beyond predominant views of Africa as a place to be “saved,” and even more recent celebratory formulations of it as “rising,” African Luxury: Aesthetics and Politics highlights and critically interrogates the visual and material cultures of lavish and luxurious consumption already present on the continent. Methodologically, conceptually, and analytically, this collection dismantles taken-for-granted ideas that the West is the source and focus of high-end and hyper-desirable material cultures. It explores what the culture of consumption means in Africa in both historical and contemporary contexts, studying diverse luxury phenomena including fashion advertising, reality television, retail, gendered consumption, and gardening to re-center the discussion on existing contemporary luxury cultures across the continent.  

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9781789382211

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Reviews

'This collection provides a nuanced exploration of a wide variety of examples of African luxury and consumption practices. While much scholarship has negated the very existence of African luxury, this compilation verifies the topic as worthy of focus and the need for further exploration as it continues to evolve in real time. This collection identifies how African luxury creates a friction between its Africanness and ability to exist long term on a large scale as this publication provides an informative baseline of understanding.' -- Jacqueline F. Mullins, Fashion, Style & Popular Culture

Author Information

Mehita Iqani is associate professor in media studies at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Simidele Dosekun is a lecturer in media and cultural studies at the University of Sussex.

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