Document details

How to Write About Africa in 8 Steps: An Ethical Storytelling Handbook

Africa No Filter (2021), 31 pp.

Contains illustrations, bibliogr. pp. 27-30

"Storytelling is the most powerful way for donor and non-governmental organisations to convey their work because stories allow audiences to connect on both intellectual and emotional levels. However, much of the storytelling about development work in Africa is unethical and perpetuates harmful and stereotypical narratives about the continent. Stories that reinforce stereotypes about Africa often arise from the power dynamics between those who are telling the stories and those about whom stories are being told. This practical guide aims to address some of these issues by providing practical, ethical guidelines for storytellers to share their work on the continent [...] This handbook considers the challenges of ethical storytelling and provides practical examples of how difficulties might be overcome. It looks at all the stages of the storytelling process: conceptualising a project, planning, gathering material, producing a draft, gathering feedback on it, and producing a final version before disseminating it. As part of the process of developing this handbook, we reviewed 36 academic papers and books chapters covering the subject. We also interviewed eight African storytellers, including filmmakers, photographers, radio producers and writers who were researching and producing material about Africa for an international audience or for donor agencies." (About this handbook, page 1)
Why ethical storytelling matters, 2
What does poor storytelling look like? 3
What does good storytelling look like? 7
How do you overcome unethical storytelling? 11
1 Challenging unequal power relations, 12
2 Ensuring respectful engagements, 13
3 Tackling implicit bias in the hiring process, 16
4 Addressing biased storytelling, 18
5 Properly using ethical guidelines and understanding informed consent, 20
6 Understanding the local context, 23
7 Avoiding rushed schedules, 24
8 Investing in your people, 25
Conclusion, 26