Bad Assumptions

Endless Thread

A blurry video surfaces on the r/trashy subreddit of what appears to be a work dispute in an unspecified African country. A Chinese man slaps a clipboard out of a Black worker's hands, then leaves the frame for a moment, before coming back with a large metal pole. There's no context provided with the video, but most of the commenters seem to know what's happening — seem being the operative word. They're just making assumptions, grounded in a complicated geopolitical relationship that's changing everyday life all across the African continent.

In pursuit of context for this video, Endless Thread explores the sweeping geopolitical relationship between China and Africa, and hears from Henry Mhango, a Malawian journalist who hunted down the context for another viral video, exposing racism and exploitation in the process.

Show notes:

• "Racism for Sale" (BBC Africa Eye)
• "Sierra Leonean Miner vs Chinese Miner: Company PRO Breaks Down What Transpired" (News Central TV)
• "Why China Is in Africa - If You Don’t Know, Now You Know" (The Daily Show)
• "How China Sees itself in Africa" (The Global Jigsaw)
• "Chinese companies in Africa can be flexible and adaptive in their employment strategies." (The Washington Post)

Credits: This episode was written and produced by Grace Tatter. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Amory Sivertson and Ben Brock Johnson.