1. Africa and clichés : methodological introduction Sandrine Perrot (CERI-Sciences Po Paris)

3. FOREWORD (…) « In his portrayal of the Belgian Congo, the young Hergé reflects the colonial attitudes of the time. He himself admitted that he depicted the African people according to the bourgeois, paternalisitic stereotypes of the period – an interpretation that some of today’s readers may find offensive. The same could be said of his treatment of big-game hunting ». L.L.C. M.T.

5. Outline Representations of Africa : from the Bible to the Dakar speech Representations of Africa : from the Bible to the Dakar speech The institutionnalisation of African studies The institutionnalisation of African studies Methodological precautions Methodological precautions

6. I – From the Bible to the Dakar’s speech Africa: a Western projection ? Africa: a Western projection ? The Genesis of preconceived ideas The Genesis of preconceived ideas

7. Sébastien Münster, « Totius Africae tabula & descritpio uniuersalis, etiam ultra Ptolemiae limites extensa », 1544

8. John Cary (1754-1835), “A New Map of Africa from the Latest Authorities”, 1805

9. The curse of Ham « And he said, cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants, shall he be unto his brethren » (Book of Genesis, 9, 25). « And he said, cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants, shall he be unto his brethren » (Book of Genesis, 9, 25).

10. I – From the Bible to the Dakar’s speech Africa as an object of knowledge Africa as an object of knowledge The « Genesis » of African clichés The « Genesis » of African clichés Slavery, Gobineau and colonization Slavery, Gobineau and colonization

11. Mansa Moussa on a map of 1375 ©Bibliothèque nationale de France

12. II – The institutionnalisation of African studies A specific historical and epistemological context A specific historical and epistemological context The construction of a counter-history The construction of a counter-history Post-colonial studies, subaltern studies and world history: an epistemological revolution ? Post-colonial studies, subaltern studies and world history: an epistemological revolution ?

13. III. Methodological precautions Africa, Africas Africa, Africas The extraneity of analytical tools (developpementalism, dependance theory) The extraneity of analytical tools (developpementalism, dependance theory) Africa: an object as any other one ? Africa: an object as any other one ?

14. Conclusion Africa: a Western projection ? Africa: a Western projection ? The construction of the Other The construction of the Other « We need to learn again how to see Africans a different way, neither as brothers, nor as subjects but as men of our world and of our time » « We need to learn again how to see Africans a different way, neither as brothers, nor as subjects but as men of our world and of our time » Michel Levallois, collectif Futurs africains, Misère de l’Afro- pessimisme, Afrique &histoire, 2005, n°3)