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muga's review
5.0
I RECEIVED A DIGITAL ARC FROM NETGALLEY.
This collection of essay was brilliant and insightful and fun at the same time. Written by professionals from various fields, this book tackles a variety of issues drawn from the black panther films and its impact on the people of African descent in the diaspora.
This book talks about the fantastical elements of black panther and what Wakanda represents for African people in the diaspora e.g. living in a world where there is no fear because of the color of your skin. There's also the discussion of the effects of media in shaping the perceptions of who we are and how it is important for African people to see themselves on screen and not only that but portrayed in a complex manner without the usual stereotypes that we face.
The fluid nature of the Black identity is discussed and we are invited to take pride in our racial identity in all its forms without being boxed in by stereotypical notions of what the world sees us to be. discussions of intergenerational trauma are also talked about with reference to the source of killmonger's pain and the traumas that he had faced growing up as a Black child which led him to his aggression and bitterness which helps us identify with him and also sympathize with him but at the same time we are also given advice on how we can heal our trauma.
This book has the range I assure you from all the topics it talks about, the book introduced me to a lot of concepts about psychology that I had no Idea about and made me want to do more research, but also just seeing what the film meant to African Americans especially was so touching. As a continental African I had my own qualms with the film but those pale in comparison to now my understanding of the positive impact of the film.
This book is amazing 100% recommend.
thanks to netgalley for the ARC.
This collection of essay was brilliant and insightful and fun at the same time. Written by professionals from various fields, this book tackles a variety of issues drawn from the black panther films and its impact on the people of African descent in the diaspora.
This book talks about the fantastical elements of black panther and what Wakanda represents for African people in the diaspora e.g. living in a world where there is no fear because of the color of your skin. There's also the discussion of the effects of media in shaping the perceptions of who we are and how it is important for African people to see themselves on screen and not only that but portrayed in a complex manner without the usual stereotypes that we face.
The fluid nature of the Black identity is discussed and we are invited to take pride in our racial identity in all its forms without being boxed in by stereotypical notions of what the world sees us to be. discussions of intergenerational trauma are also talked about with reference to the source of killmonger's pain and the traumas that he had faced growing up as a Black child which led him to his aggression and bitterness which helps us identify with him and also sympathize with him but at the same time we are also given advice on how we can heal our trauma.
This book has the range I assure you from all the topics it talks about, the book introduced me to a lot of concepts about psychology that I had no Idea about and made me want to do more research, but also just seeing what the film meant to African Americans especially was so touching. As a continental African I had my own qualms with the film but those pale in comparison to now my understanding of the positive impact of the film.
This book is amazing 100% recommend.
thanks to netgalley for the ARC.
globetrottingcat's review
5.0
An excellent look at the psychology of Black Panther and Wakanda. As a high school film teacher, I’ve been teaching Black Panther for the last few years, I am also currently doing an MA in School Counseling so I was able to make clear connections on the psychology and identification models that were discussed in the essays. It was a great read with a wide range of essays using different theories and theorists to analyze Black Panther and it’s impact on audiences.
thebookishvirgo's review
4.0
I received an ARC of this book from netgalley in exchange for a review.
Comic books have always been iswd as a medium to discuss social and political issues and Black Panther is no different. Sheena C. Howard has put together a fantastic collection of essays that deal with topics such as cognitive dissonance, social identity, and cultural and racial identity. This book is powerful, insightful, and incredibly relevant in a time when these topics need to be discussed by all members of society and the community. An amazing read that will make you look at the world of Wakanda (and hopefully the world in general!) differently the next time you watch Black Panther.
Comic books have always been iswd as a medium to discuss social and political issues and Black Panther is no different. Sheena C. Howard has put together a fantastic collection of essays that deal with topics such as cognitive dissonance, social identity, and cultural and racial identity. This book is powerful, insightful, and incredibly relevant in a time when these topics need to be discussed by all members of society and the community. An amazing read that will make you look at the world of Wakanda (and hopefully the world in general!) differently the next time you watch Black Panther.
petudc's review
5.0
As a white woman from South America, I really can't speak about Black Panther's influence in my life. I mean, I'm a fan of everything superheroes, and that movie is really, really good. But, in matters of representation? I have to take the word of the people who see themselves in it. And this book, this collection of essays, is a great overview of it.
"Why Wakanda matters?" delves into the cultural, racial, symbolic and psychological impact of the only Marvel movie nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.
With perfectly structured essays and a diversity of theories from psychology and communication studies, this book shows the different layers of representation, positive and negative, that the movie shows, and how it may impact the identity of young Black people specifically.
But at its core, this is a love letter to Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger, and I'm absolutely fine with it since he's the best MCU villain (and you can't change my mind). The complexity of the character, the different meanings of his actions, the symbology, it's all deeply analyzed as one of the main subjects of this book.
On a personal note, and to all white readers, this book feels like a starting point to reflect on our behavior and privileges, as it presents a lot of situations and considerations that some of us really didn't know or even thought about in out blissful ignorance.
"Why Wakanda matters?" delves into the cultural, racial, symbolic and psychological impact of the only Marvel movie nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.
With perfectly structured essays and a diversity of theories from psychology and communication studies, this book shows the different layers of representation, positive and negative, that the movie shows, and how it may impact the identity of young Black people specifically.
But at its core, this is a love letter to Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger, and I'm absolutely fine with it since he's the best MCU villain (and you can't change my mind). The complexity of the character, the different meanings of his actions, the symbology, it's all deeply analyzed as one of the main subjects of this book.
On a personal note, and to all white readers, this book feels like a starting point to reflect on our behavior and privileges, as it presents a lot of situations and considerations that some of us really didn't know or even thought about in out blissful ignorance.
kelli7990's review
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Here’s what this book is about:”Edited by Sheena C. Howard, an award-winning author, filmmaker, and scholar, Why Wakanda Matters features a collection of essays from leading experts in a variety of fields who offer insightful perspectives on topics such as cognitive dissonance, intergenerational trauma and resistance, social identity, collective identity, and cultural and racial identity. Fans of the movie and those interested in deeper discussions about the film will revel in this thought-provoking examination of all aspects of Black Panther and the power of psychology.”
I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway but I decided to listen to this book on audio. I watched the movie Black Panther last year. I found it very entertaining and I really enjoyed it so I thought it would be interesting to read a book that talks about the movie. I liked this book and it made me think about the movie in a different way. I didn’t know that this movie was so deep. When I first watched this movie, I wasn’t thinking about the psychology of it because I was watching it for entertainment.
I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway but I decided to listen to this book on audio. I watched the movie Black Panther last year. I found it very entertaining and I really enjoyed it so I thought it would be interesting to read a book that talks about the movie. I liked this book and it made me think about the movie in a different way. I didn’t know that this movie was so deep. When I first watched this movie, I wasn’t thinking about the psychology of it because I was watching it for entertainment.
abondthroughbooks's review
4.0
I am giving this a 4 star based on how I think this book will end up.
I received an advanced audio copy through Netgalley, but it was not a complete copy. I am looking forward to reading the rest.
I received an advanced audio copy through Netgalley, but it was not a complete copy. I am looking forward to reading the rest.
blackgoddessreviews's review
5.0
I received a free e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
[This review will be posted on my blog on 23 April 2021.]
I've really struggled to write this review, because I wanted it to be perfect. Some of my drafts actually look like essays themselves (references and all.) In the end, I've opted to just sort of wing it. In a nutshell, Why Wakanda Matters is a collection of academic essays by psychologists and media studies scholars about the movie Black Panther. The essays in this volume revolve around themes of identity (social, collective, cultural & racial), representation, and trauma.
What I loved was how thoughtful and insightful these essays were. More than a few were bursting with passion and joy. I've read hundreds of academic papers over the years, and trust me when I say that this is not very common. While I didn't enjoy one or two due to the writing style, as a whole the collection was so well written I can't really fault it.
There were so many essays I liked, and I was inspired to go back and re-watch the film. I actually feel like these essays enhanced my enjoyment of the film.
I was able to notice all the nods to Afrikana Spiritual Traditions and and general Afrikana worldviews, such as ancestral reverence, symbolic use of colours, aesthetics, and deities. Instead of demonising or fetishising these beliefs, Black Panther incorporated and celebrated them.
I was able to appreciate how the film had thrown stereotypes of Black women to the wind by showing different ways for Black women to just be. There is no one way to be strong or beautiful. Each of the main female characters present positive role models for Black girls to look up to. Queen Ramonda is a wise and dignified elder whose opinion is valued. Shuri is a scientist and healer, who is funny and smart and cool. Nakia is kind and passionate, choosing a career she loves. Okoye is a beautiful warrior with a strong sense of duty and honour. It was also important to see Black bodies and natural hair being celebrated.
I was able to appreciate how Black communities all over the world were able to unite behind the symbolism of the Wakandan salute, and the phrase 'Wakanda Forever.' I hadn't considered how important it could be to see yourself represented because as a white woman, I have always seen myself.
I loved how there was deeper symbolic meanings behind the more straightforward, literal tale. That, for example, each character could be viewed as representative of something else. For example, Klaw represents white supremacy, and Agent Ross' development represented the journey of white liberals becoming true allies - by standing back and not speaking over Black people or assuming they know what is best.
I was able to sympathise more with Erik Killmonger. Instead of being the bad guy, he was a multilayered character who had been shaped by his experiences. I was able to understand how he came to form his personal, social, and racial identity, and how that differed so much from his cousin, T'Challa. I was also alerted to how his portrayal in the movie could have the effect of demonising Black radical tradition, which is to say that we support 'peaceful' traditions like Martin Luther King's over Malcolm X's Black Panther Party, where both are equally valid reactions/responses to intergenerational trauma and inequality.
This book is almost certainly going to be in my Top 10 reads of 2021. If you are interested in film studies, afrofuturism, anti-racism, and most of all, Black Panther, then Why Wakanda Matters is a must-read. For everyone else, I highly recommend it.
[This review will be posted on my blog on 23 April 2021.]
I've really struggled to write this review, because I wanted it to be perfect. Some of my drafts actually look like essays themselves (references and all.) In the end, I've opted to just sort of wing it. In a nutshell, Why Wakanda Matters is a collection of academic essays by psychologists and media studies scholars about the movie Black Panther. The essays in this volume revolve around themes of identity (social, collective, cultural & racial), representation, and trauma.
What I loved was how thoughtful and insightful these essays were. More than a few were bursting with passion and joy. I've read hundreds of academic papers over the years, and trust me when I say that this is not very common. While I didn't enjoy one or two due to the writing style, as a whole the collection was so well written I can't really fault it.
There were so many essays I liked, and I was inspired to go back and re-watch the film. I actually feel like these essays enhanced my enjoyment of the film.
I was able to notice all the nods to Afrikana Spiritual Traditions and and general Afrikana worldviews, such as ancestral reverence, symbolic use of colours, aesthetics, and deities. Instead of demonising or fetishising these beliefs, Black Panther incorporated and celebrated them.
I was able to appreciate how the film had thrown stereotypes of Black women to the wind by showing different ways for Black women to just be. There is no one way to be strong or beautiful. Each of the main female characters present positive role models for Black girls to look up to. Queen Ramonda is a wise and dignified elder whose opinion is valued. Shuri is a scientist and healer, who is funny and smart and cool. Nakia is kind and passionate, choosing a career she loves. Okoye is a beautiful warrior with a strong sense of duty and honour. It was also important to see Black bodies and natural hair being celebrated.
I was able to appreciate how Black communities all over the world were able to unite behind the symbolism of the Wakandan salute, and the phrase 'Wakanda Forever.' I hadn't considered how important it could be to see yourself represented because as a white woman, I have always seen myself.
I loved how there was deeper symbolic meanings behind the more straightforward, literal tale. That, for example, each character could be viewed as representative of something else. For example, Klaw represents white supremacy, and Agent Ross' development represented the journey of white liberals becoming true allies - by standing back and not speaking over Black people or assuming they know what is best.
I was able to sympathise more with Erik Killmonger. Instead of being the bad guy, he was a multilayered character who had been shaped by his experiences. I was able to understand how he came to form his personal, social, and racial identity, and how that differed so much from his cousin, T'Challa. I was also alerted to how his portrayal in the movie could have the effect of demonising Black radical tradition, which is to say that we support 'peaceful' traditions like Martin Luther King's over Malcolm X's Black Panther Party, where both are equally valid reactions/responses to intergenerational trauma and inequality.
This book is almost certainly going to be in my Top 10 reads of 2021. If you are interested in film studies, afrofuturism, anti-racism, and most of all, Black Panther, then Why Wakanda Matters is a must-read. For everyone else, I highly recommend it.