Jacob Kushner, a young journalist with a grant from the Pulitzer Center, has produced a new e-book on China and the Congo, which can be downloaded on Kindle for just $1.99. Viewing his creative effort is well worth the small expense. Kushner traveled to the DRC, interviewing Chinese managers, Congolese officials, visiting the Sicomines project, and immersing himself in a challenging environment. While as journalism, this isn't the detailed look at China and the DRC that scholars like Johanna Jansson have produced, it is a fascinating "new age of journalism" multi-media production. (Look past the catchy title: Kushner might have more usefully put "Congo Plan" in quotation marks, as he ends up doubting that there is a plan.) The talented Mr. Kushner combines short videos, excellent photographs, and traditional narrative to produce a book that is far more of an experience than simply a read. If this is the future of journalism as reflected in books, I'm looking forward to it.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
China and the DR Congo
Jacob Kushner, a young journalist with a grant from the Pulitzer Center, has produced a new e-book on China and the Congo, which can be downloaded on Kindle for just $1.99. Viewing his creative effort is well worth the small expense. Kushner traveled to the DRC, interviewing Chinese managers, Congolese officials, visiting the Sicomines project, and immersing himself in a challenging environment. While as journalism, this isn't the detailed look at China and the DRC that scholars like Johanna Jansson have produced, it is a fascinating "new age of journalism" multi-media production. (Look past the catchy title: Kushner might have more usefully put "Congo Plan" in quotation marks, as he ends up doubting that there is a plan.) The talented Mr. Kushner combines short videos, excellent photographs, and traditional narrative to produce a book that is far more of an experience than simply a read. If this is the future of journalism as reflected in books, I'm looking forward to it.
Follow me on Twitter @D_Brautigam. Professor and Director, International Development Program, Johns Hopkins University/SAIS; Visiting Professor, University of Bergen, Norway; and author of The Dragon's Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa (Oxford U. Press, 2009, 2011). A China scholar, I first went to Africa in 1983 to research Chinese engagement and never stopped. © Deborah Brautigam 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.
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We recently interviewed Jacob Kushner for the China in Africa Podcast about his new multimedia book. He's a very interesting guy with some very interesting perspectives on China's expanding role in the DRC. Here is a link to the show: http://snd.sc/16Gsq5X
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