Shedding light on a country that needs much attention, Sudan Media Makers: Writings from the Diaspora from Ivey’s Mohamed Satti showcases six prominent Sudanese storytellers who have made significant contributions through their insights on Sudan and Sudanese people.
Satti, an associate professor of Management Communications, wrote the book to not only draw attention to Sudan and its history, but to fill a gap he saw in literature.
“Not a lot of literature has been written about Sudan in general,” said Satti, who is originally from Sudan. “There are books written about Sudan’s history, politics, and geography, but when it comes to the media situation, there’s a genuine dearth of books written, and you will not find a single book written in English about Sudan’s media personalities.”
Each of the six media personalities Satti interviewed are well known for their storytelling, including Nima Elbagir, an award-winning investigative journalist for CNN, fiction novelist Leila Aboulela, and political cartoonist Khalid Albaih.
Sudan Media Makers covers two main themes. The first relates to challenges the media makers face in their writings about Sudan and how they strived to overcome these challenges, says Satti.
The second theme is around the issue of brain drain, which has strong connections to economic development and is faced by many developing countries.
“The media makers are educated and resourceful individuals who have had to leave Sudan and work abroad due to economic and political reasons,” said Satti.
Satti viewed writing Sudan Media Makers as a chance to project Sudan's internal situation to the outside world, offering readers a clearer understanding of an often-overlooked, but important country. Sudan is both an African and Arab country and is in a very diverse area of the world.
“There’s a unique duality between Africa and the Arab world, and in my view, this makes Sudan a very important country,” said Satti.
The book offers relevant information for scholars and students with a wide range of interests and backgrounds including communications, journalism, history, politics, and international studies.
Sudan Media Makers: Writings from the Diaspora is published by Lexington books and is available online using a Western login. It is also available for purchase through Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group.
Commentary about Sudan Media Makers: Writings from the Diaspora
"Mohamed A. Satti grants the world the unique opportunity to listen to Sudan's story of struggle and resilience through the authentic voices of its diasporic media makers. A timely and captivating book, this is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the role of the media in advancing freedom struggles in the Arab world and Africa." — Sahar Khamis, University of Maryland, College Park
"Unlike previous media studies case books, this text highlights the voices of prominent Sudanese journalists, writers, and artists in the diaspora. The book provides vivid descriptions of lived experiences illuminating the role of media influencers in Sudanese politics. Dr. Satti ably synthesizes complex sociological ideas addressing the pressing need of raising political awareness in an Afro-Arab developing society. The book includes insightful examples and contributions of selected storytellers and visual artists. The book is highly recommended for readers interested in questions of development communication, sociology, and discourse analysis. It contains important readings for the students of journalism, communication, and media studies in Africa and the Middle East." — Mustafa H. Taha, American University of Sharjah
