Real narratives are complicated: Africa isn't a country, and it's not a disaster zone, says reporter and researcher Leslie Dodson. She calls for journalists, researchers and NGOs to stop representing entire continents as one big tragedy.

Don't misrepresent Africa

Media, researchers, and NGOs often reduce Africa to a single narrative of poverty, disaster, and need. Images of famine and child victims, common in campaigns for decades, shape how the world perceives entire continents. With more than 50 countries and thousands of languages, Africa defies these reductive depictions. Ethical storytelling demands resisting stereotypes and showing people’s full humanity and complexity.

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Leslie Dodson: Don't misrepresent Africa