Africa's soft power : philosophies, political values, foreign policies and cultural exports / Oluwaseun Tella

Includes bibliographical references and index

One Introduction: Soft Power in Africa -- De-Americanising and Africanising Soft Power -- Nigeria: Naija Swagger -- South Africa: Mzansi Symbolism -- Egypt: The Resilient Pharaoh -- Kenya: Harambee Attraction -- Conclusion -- Africa as a Model

"This book investigates the ways in which soft power is used by African countries to help drive global influence. Selecting four of the countries most associated with soft power across the continent, this book delves into the currencies of soft power across the region: from South Africa's progressive constitution and expanding multinational corporations, to Nigeria's Nollywood film industry, Kenya's fashion, sport diplomacy, and tourism industries, and finally Egypt's reputation as the cradle of civilisation. The book asks how soft power is wielded by these countries and what constraints and contradictions they encounter. Understandings of soft power have typically been driven by Western scholars, but throughout this book, Oluwaseun Tella aims to Africanise our understanding of soft power, drawing on prominent African philosophies, including Nigeria's Omolu̹waÌ⁰bi̹, South Africa's Ubuntu, Kenya's Harambee, and Egypt's pharaonism. This book will be of interest to researchers from across political science, international relations, cultural studies, foreign policy and African Studies"-- Provided by publisher