For decades, Ofeibea Quist-Arcton has provided audiences with some of the most extensive and immersive coverage on issues and developments related to West Africa and beyond. Originally from Ghana, she has lived and worked in the United Kingdom, France, Ivory Coast, the United States, South Africa, and most recently Senegal where she is now based.
Before joining NPR in 2004 to serve in their newly-created post as West Africa Correspondent, Quist-Arcton spent much of her career as a correspondent and contributor for BBC radio and television. In 1995, she even relocated here to Massachusetts for a time as a reporter for a new program called The World: a co-production through the BBC, Public Radio International and WGBH (listen weekdays @3pm on the NEPR News Network)!
Last week, Ofeibea was invited to speak with UMass’ John Higginson to talk about her career as a journalist and to discuss the political, economic and social issues currently facing African nations today. A history professor at the University, Higginson is also a research fellow in the College of Human Sciences in the Department of History at the University of South Africa and author of Collective Violence and the Agrarian Origins of South African Apartheid, 1900-1948.
This discussion was recorded on February 23rd, 2016 at the Commonwealth Honors College at UMass Amherst.
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