Introduction: Shedding the old
Since the turn of the century, the world has changed radically, making it unrecognisable to activists who came of age in the 20th century. Yuval Harari’s provocative book, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, lays out current global historical, political, technological, religious, and ecological crises plus numerous other issues of interest. He asks the poignant question: “[W]hen the old stories have collapsed… what should we do in life? What kinds of skills do we need?” (2018, xiii). African feminists have been pondering similar questions for some time now, individually and collectively, attempting to weave together new stories to replace old tropes dictating how to challenge the complex and ever-changing manifestations of imperialism, oppression, and inequality. During this day and age, how do we jettison the universal narrative of “deficiency” about Africa and change it to one of dynamism and potential?
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