ABSTRACT
Empirical and theoretical work on policy images in Africa has been scanty and ignored in the literature on governance and policy processes. We recognize that finding solutions to the numerous development problems requires a clear conceptualization of how and why a policy endures or changes. In this scenario, influential stakeholders, especially donor agency decision-makers, use empirical information and emotive appeals to describe the scope and dynamics of the problem at hand. This chapter lays out the contours of policy images and describes the challenges associated with policy images in Africa. Using illustrations from three policy areas, food security, public health, and tourism, I show that images and framing influence policy change and are important components in driving government attention to particular issues and problems.
