With founders and contributors from around the world, websites have become one of the most interesting expressions of Pan-Africanism in recent years. Africa is a Country, founded by academic Sean Jacobs, co-opts the imperialist habit of treating all of Africa as one enigmatic entity. With its politically fearless reporting, it turns the old cliché into a statement of solidarity. Portals on culture and art from the continent, like African Digital Art, Afrikadaa, and Art Base Africa are written in tones that are critical, newsy or gossip-heavy, as the case may be. Together, they paint a complex picture of creative expression from the continent. The mission is not just to make a point about the diversity of Africa, but also to establish a multiplicity of African perspectives on the world. Cityscapes, a publication from the African Center for Cities at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, brings a local lens to urban conditions across the Global South.
Amidst such rich continent-wide platforms, many geography-specific initiatives also stand out. Anza, a Dar es Salaam-based online and print publication faithfully tackles the architectural histories of East Africa. Design Maroc, run by Marrakech-based designer Younes Duret, casts its eye over the countries in the north. Future Cape Town, which began as an examination of South Africa’s premier design city after it hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, has since spawned editions in Johannesburg, Lagos, and London.
