Abstract

The phrase “this is Africa” is often used in order to indicate the different modes of living, politics, business, organization, etc. between Africa and the rest of the world. The term carries a cultural baggage that implies that “Africa is what it is” and there is no other way than accepting it and living by it. In this chapter, the movie Blood Diamond, in which “this is Africa” is heard loudly, is chosen to revisit the construction of Africa in popular movies. Focusing on especially the Melian Dialogue, the chapter argues that the construction of Africa and the construction of realism as an international relations theory go parallel in Blood Diamond. Showing Africa as a place where power politics cannot change, hard power is a must, pessimist human nature approach is proved itself repeatedly, international institutions, international society and even God do not care about, the movie tends to persuade the audience that it is not possible to think of Africa beyond a realistic perspective.