As a HUGE marvel fan , especially due to Black panther and its whole discussion around race and breaking barriers for Black voices, this book is EXCELLENT

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This book perfectly combines the fictional world of Wakanda with our very real world of racial identity, colonialism, historical trauma, and media representation. While I've seen all of the Marvel Avengers films, none have the emotional depth of Black Panther, and this book does an excellent job of not only expanding understanding of the film, but also assisting readers in making connections to real life in an effort to heal racial tensions and promote racial understanding. I truly felt like I left with a better understanding of psychology and communication concepts that I was familiar with but hadn't fully grasped until now (like cognitive dissonance, black excellence, and social identity). Despite the fact that the text was at times quite dense, I found this book to be very accessible, and I can easily see my high school students picking it up to take a deeper dive into one of their favorite fictional worlds while also gaining a better understanding of our real world.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Great audiobook, really enjoyed it, wouldn't mind buying

A collection of academic essays mostly examining the messaging, impact, and symbolism of Black Panther. The best essays either went deep in an unexpected way in to the movie (such as those looking at how Killmonger was impacted by trauma) or in the movie's impact (such as those taking a social learning or social identity approach to the movie's message and impact). One of the best was a look at how the movie explicitly plays with White narratives of Africa and colonization and explicitly sidelines the White perspective. Two other great ones were a guide to using movies like Black Panther to bring up difficult subjects in the classroom and a look at how Black Panther, for all it's celebration of African and African American identity, subtly undercuts and demonizes the Black radical tradition. Not all were at this level but on the whole a satisfying collection.

Editor Sheena C. Howard has compiled an incredible collection of essays about social identity, intergenerational trauma, cognitive dissonance, and race through the lens of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the new book Why Wakanda Matters. In 2018, Black Panther was far more popular than many film experts were expecting, but people of color knew that this was an important step for representation in popular media. 

Why Wakanda Matters goes deep, and JD Jackson's narration is fantastic and engaging.  The audiobook keeps the listener moving along and taking in some pretty heavy material, all under a familiar understanding of the Black Panther film and King T'Challa. 

Why Wakanda Matters is Available now from Highbridge Audio.

A non-fiction book driven by scholars who can easily make a case for the viewing the work and discourse behind Marvel's Black Panther movie released in 2018 that serves as a viable reference tool for those diving into this analysis.

*Full disclosure: I was given a free ARC for my review from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review* 4.5 stars

"Why Wakanda Matters" is an impressive collection of essays written by a very talented group of professionals such as psychologists and other experts dissecting the movie, "The Black Panther." The compilation their perspectives touch upon social identity, cultural identity, the devastating ramifications of white colonialism, and many other important topics that should not be silenced.

The book discusses a variety of different characters and themes and what they represented within the story line - Shuri, Okoye, Nakia : The representation of a strong female population unrestrained by white patriarchy. Killmonger: The representation of a strong antagonist fueled by vengeance with a goal towards total liberation. Klaw: The representation and literal embodiment of white supremacy. Wakanda: The representation of "what could have been" without white colonial exploitation and a lifetime of oppression.

I would highly recommend this book - for those interest in the Marvel-verse and for those that are not. There is such a need for movies and books like this in an industry that is highly manipulated by rich, white males... and we need to do whatever we can in our power to support those who are choosing to stand up and shed their light and knowledge on the social inequities and racial injustices of our world.

I'm going to buy this because I need to read it in print. Listening to it was good but I feel like this should be my coffee table book that I should reread a chapter from now and then.

Even though I'm not American, have children or black. I'm a brown childless Swede that still find more characters to connect with in Black Panther than many other films. And found the discussion in this to be very interesting

Thank you #netgalley for a copy of this #audiobook. Why Wakanda Matters is a compelling series of short essays that help to raise awareness on how the incorporation of black culture in the media will help to empower those that have been repressed for so many generations. I can only hope that Black Panther is the first of many movies to come that will provide encouraging representations for young black children. I loved the detail within this book about African cultures, it was enlightening and thought provoking. The essays demonstrate how the oppressed can only hold onto hope and nonviolent tactics for so long, and the need for those within power to assist with facilitating change. At the end of the series Sheena C. Howard comments on the United States government’s ability to react and provide assistance in response to the corona virus pandemic. This demonstration of power upheld our belief that the U.S. government has the capability to provide the support needed to facilitate change and empower the black community. We as a people must do more to support others. This book is a must read, especially if you’re not a POC. It opens your eyes to the need for change.

4.5 stars!

When Black Panther hit theaters nationwide, you could tell that something important was happening. The film was the first superhero movie featuring a primarily Black cast. The film resonated with people both Black and non-Black alike. In Why Wakanda Matters, a new essay collection edited by [author:Sheena C. Howard|5931232], experts from various fields discuss exactly why Black Panther resonated in our society and WHY it matters. This is a deep dive into the psychology of the impact of the film on pop culture and society in general. The experts analyze the movie including topics such as:

-Black Identity
-Social Learning Theory
-Intergenerational Trauma
-Decolonization of African Narratives
-Cognitive Dissonance

I personally love the movie and have watched it many times with my 2 sons. While we are not Black, my sons are BIPOC (their father, my husband, is Pakistani), so it is important to me that they see representation from non-white folks in media. I really enjoyed this deeper discussion of the movie. The writers obviously put a lot of thought into their topics and have opened my eyes to a few things. I can't wait to watch the movie again with all of this additional perspective.

I listened to the audiobook, which was well-produced. Highly recommend!

This book was phenomenal! The ideas presented were very thought-provoking and I absolutely loved the choice of narrator.

Why Wakanda Matters is a really great collection of essays from professional psychologists, communications researchers, etc. using Black Panther and Wakanda as a jumping off point for talking about identity, representation, mental health, healing and more.

The essays are interesting, fun, and insightful as they both celebrate and critique the film and its importance to the Black community. From an essay about the power of the women in the film being strong, smart, beautiful, and wearing natural hairstyles and the importance of that role modeling for girls, to the way Killmonger embodies Black trauma and generational trauma, or the way his plot arc might undercut the importance of Black radicalism in history...there's a lot here and it is definitely worth your time. A wonderful collection of essays engaging in rigorous media analysis, recognizing the value and shortfalls of this important property.

In terms of the audiobook, I think it is well executed and the narrator did a great job. It would have been nice to get a book like this with more of a full cast reading, but it's still a good audiobook. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I am giving this a 4 star based on how I think this book will end up. It was not a complete copy. I am looking forward to reading the rest.

I had the opportunity to listen to a preview of the audiobook of Why Wakanda Matters, and I absolutely cannot wait to listen to (or read!) the full book when it is released on February 2nd. I’m a huge fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I absolutely loved Black Panther – it was an incredible movie with gorgeous visuals, badass women warriors, and Chadwick Boseman at his absolute best. I understood the significance of the first solo Black superhero, but Why Wakanda Matters dives deeper, with insightful and educational essays on the lasting cultural impacts that the movie has. The book is comprised of essays presenting various academic perspectives of Black Panther and its influence in the areas of psychology, collective identity, racial identity, and communications. The first essay was included in the audiobook preview, and it was so compelling and engaging – I feel like I learned so much, and can’t wait to dive into the rest of the essays... and rewatch Black Panther with a new lens.

Thank you to NetGalley and BenBella for the opportunity to preview this #audioarc

Sheena C. Howard interprets the importance of Wakanda with a critical and analytical eye. Howard is incredibly insightful of Wakanda's intentional and unintentional connections to the world without superheroes, and supports her arguments with research and established race/gender theory. While this collection of essays went over a lot of concepts which I had heard before in film reviews and Black perspectives, it was nice to see these thoughts backed up with academia. At 279 pages, this book flew by and felt much shorter than it was.

Wakanda is undoubtedly important to BIPOC as it portrays a world without white supremacy and suppression, and the essays go over major characters such as T'Challa and more minor characters like Shuri alike. I loved the tie ins to inclusive feminist movements--how all three women discussed are shown to be strong and assertive without apology.

There were times I wish there were even deeper looks into the world of Wakanda and modern day, as there was enough provided in Why Wakanda Matters: What Black Panther Reveals About Psychology, Identity, and Communication that it left me wanting just a tad more depth. Killmonger's analysis was very deep and critical, while T'Challa's analysis was more succinct. I also recognize that while Wakanda absolutely matters (and this book serves as an educational tool and anthem), a movie with Marvel's only Black lead can only do so much in transforming global racism and the dangers of nationalism.

There was an error with the file in the app, and I was only able to listen to the first half, but I really enjoyed that half and will update this review if the file is replaced or fixed.

Why Wakanda Matters looks at this iconic film and examines it from many current critical lenses to show why representation matters and how this film is working its way through our culture. The Wakanda Salute is common, at least among my friend group, and with the loss of Chadwick Boseman, I feel like we have all lost a superhero. This film is so much more than just a superhero movie with its roots buried deep in African lore and culture, and it's amazing to see the stories in this book show how much it matters.

I do hope to hear the second half.

This was a great early look at a book I can not wait to get a finished copy. I only got to listen to one easy but it was absolutely beautiful and I can't wait for more!

In the beginning of this book, I heard "People must be able to feel, in order to change". and this ended up encapsulated this book so thoroughly.

There were moments where I had goosebumps, and was completely captivated by the imagery that the narrative created.

While the writing is gorgeous, I was so excited to read about the effect Wakanda has had from an academic point of view. I have always enjoyed seeing Media from these points of view, and it feels rare that any piece of media outside "The Classics" have this kind of analysis. So it is nice to see it in regards to a black lead film

*I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a review, all opinions are my own*