ARC Review: Why Wakanda Matters ed. by Sheena C. Howard

Why Wakanda Matters: What Black Panther Reveals About Psychology, Identity, and Communication edited by Sheena C. Howard

Non-Fiction Essay Collection

279 pages

Publisher: Smart Pop Books

Publication date: 2 February 2021

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Synopsis

In 2018, the Marvel Cinematic Universe finally delivered on something fans had long been waiting for: a feature film with a solo Black superhero.

Black Panther introduced viewers to the stunning world of Wakanda, a fictional African country with incredible technological advancements, and to T’Challa, a young man stepping into his role as king and taking up the mantle of the Black Panther title from his late father.

The unforgettable story, coupled with the film’s mega-success, has undoubtedly shaped the future of superhero cinema, in addition to genuinely changing viewers’ lives. Why Wakanda Matters gives this iconic film the in-depth analysis it deserves under the lens of the latest psychological concepts-as well as delving into the lasting cultural impact of this unforgettable story.

Edited by Sheena C. Howard, an award-winning author, filmmaker, and scholar, Why Wakanda Matters: What Black Panther Reveals About Psychology, Identity, and Communication features a collection of essays from leading experts in a variety of fields who offer insightful perspectives on a range of topics.

topics such as:

– Cognitive dissonance: The important messages within T’Challa’s nuanced identity and eventual shift from nationalism to globalism.
– Intergenerational trauma and resistance: How N’Jadaka (aka Erik/Killmonger) identifies with the trauma that his ancestors have suffered.
– Social identity: How Nakia, Shuri, Okoye, and Ramonda—all empowered, intelligent, and assertive women of color—can make a lasting impression on women and girls.
– Collective identity: How Black Panther has created a shared fantasy for Black audience members—and why this is groundbreaking.
– Cultural and racial identity: What we can learn from Black Panther’s portrayal of a culture virtually untouched by white supremacy.

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.

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My Thoughts

I received a free e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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.