State Aesthetics and State Meanings: Political Architecture In Ghana And Côte D’ivoire

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Main author: Gallagher, Julia
Other authors: Mpere, Dennis Larbi
Ndjoré, Yah Ariane Bernadette
Format: Journal Article           
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id eprints-35217
recordtype eprints
institution SOAS, University of London
collection SOAS Research Online
language English
language_search English
description There is a striking difference between state buildings in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, and in how citizens living in each country’s capital city think and talk about them. In this article we explore the degree to which these buildings illustrate very different ideas of statehood in West Africa. We draw on art theories from West Africa to argue that architectural aesthetics rest on juxtapositions of beauty and the sublime and we suggest ways these help establish state meaning. We then apply our aesthetic approach to citizens’ evaluations of their state buildings in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire and illustrate how differently the approach plays out, in Ghana where the state emerges as acclimatized and relatively robust and in Côte d’Ivoire where the state emerges as idealized and fragile.
format Journal Article
author Gallagher, Julia
author_facet Gallagher, Julia
Mpere, Dennis Larbi
Ndjoré, Yah Ariane Bernadette
authorStr Gallagher, Julia
author_letter Gallagher, Julia
author2 Mpere, Dennis Larbi
Ndjoré, Yah Ariane Bernadette
author2Str Mpere, Dennis Larbi
Ndjoré, Yah Ariane Bernadette
title State Aesthetics and State Meanings: Political Architecture In Ghana And Côte D’ivoire
publisher Oxford University Press
publishDate 2021
url https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/35217/

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