Review of Benedict Anderson’s IMAGINED COMMUNITIES: Reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism

Abstract

Jennifer Hasty in her book “the press and political culture in Ghana” makes critical steps towards exploring Ghana’s news discourse in the 1990s. This period also characterizes the consolidation of Ghana’s liberalization process and dynamics that emerged in its political contestation, as well as the journey towards consolidation of democracy. The main thesis of the book is that “Ghana’s press project a unified voice, which stems from the multifarious and contentious processes which join the country in local and global debates and are characterized by the production of news that is influenced by politics and popular culture which is mostly determined by the state” (p.1). This according to Hasty is expressed in the civic culture and politics, and the role performed by the state press in constituting the socio-political, cultural, and national identities. She sees the state press as representing the voice of the ruling government, and the private press as a tool used for partisan opposition politics. From this context, she points out that the house-style and editorial orientation of the press is greatly influenced by the state and the government of the day. Through this, the press, particularly the state newspapers such as, the Daily Graphic is seen to in a way hide under the so-called principle of national development and state cohesion, in denying the public news headlines and stories that concern abuse from the political elite, human rights violations, and political corruption.

References

Anderson, B. (1983). Imagined communities: Reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism. London: Verso Books.

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