ABSTRACT
Globalisation and migration are realities of the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The result of these phenomena in Ireland is the significant diversity of ethnicities and cultures found in all spheres of society. This chapter draws on a postcolonial lens along with Critical Race Theory (CRT) to examine and challenge the reinforcement of negative perceptions of Africa and the Global South within Irish schools. The chapter explores how unequal relations between the Global South and the Global North result in a stereotypical construct of what being Black means. It presents a critical review of how White supremacy and privilege are reinforced by the deficit portrayal of people from the African continent. It examines how the Global North perceives the South in relation to projected images of the African continent as portrayed in media, fundraising campaigns of non-governmental agencies, and in educational materials used in Irish primary schools. It goes on to review how Africa and people of African descent are portrayed in a selection of textbooks used by primary school pupils. The chapter concludes with recommendations for approaches to tackle and address stereotyping and deficit portrayals of children and peoples of Africa.
