Gaza commanded our attention. Why hasn't Sudan?

This episode of Code Switch confronts a pressing question: why has the ongoing genocide in Sudan received so little attention in the U.S., despite the U.S. government officially recognizing it as such in January 2025? Hosts Gene Demby and Leah Dinella explore the complex web of factors behind this disparity, contrasting Sudan’s current obscurity with the intense global focus on Israel’s actions in Gaza. They examine how racialized perceptions of Africa, limited U.S. international education, the dangers of reporting in conflict zones, and the politicization of the term 'genocide' have all contributed to public disengagement. Drawing on personal stories like that of journalist Ismail Koushkoush, who witnessed the outbreak of war in Khartoum in April 2023, the episode reveals how both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have committed atrocities, complicating moral binaries. Experts like Scott Strauss and May Hessen argue that past interventions—like the 2006 mobilization over Darfur—were driven by simplistic narratives of good versus evil and failed to address root causes. The episode ultimately challenges the idea that attention alone leads to change, advocating instead for a more humble, long-term approach that centers Sudanese voices in peacebuilding rather than imposing American solutions. The conversation underscores that the problem isn't just a lack of awareness, but a deeper issue of power, perception, and the limits of Western interventionism.