Ethnographies of youth agency in Ethnographies of youth agency in communication for developmentcommunication for development

by Prof. Thomas Tufte by Prof. Thomas Tufte Roskilde University, DenmarkRoskilde University, Denmark

Presentation given at IAMCR 2011 Presentation given at IAMCR 2011 Panel: Media Ethnography and Public Sphere Panel: Media Ethnography and Public Sphere

EngagementEngagement

Istanbul, 14 July 2011Istanbul, 14 July 2011

This presentationThis presentation

1. Research objectives of my project: 1. Research objectives of my project: ’People Speaking Back? Media, ’People Speaking Back? Media, Empowerment and Democracy in East Empowerment and Democracy in East Africa’Africa’

2. Outlining conceptual contexts from which 2. Outlining conceptual contexts from which to explore youth agencyto explore youth agency

3. Exploring youth agency ethnographically 3. Exploring youth agency ethnographically

People Speaking Back? People Speaking Back? Media, empowerment and democracy in East Africa (2009-Media, empowerment and democracy in East Africa (2009-

2013)2013)

A proliferation, multiplication and intensification in the A proliferation, multiplication and intensification in the means and forms of communication for social change: means and forms of communication for social change: alternative media, citizen media, social movement alternative media, citizen media, social movement media, nano-media, C4D in UN-organisationsmedia, nano-media, C4D in UN-organisations

A celebration of youthful social mobilization in North A celebration of youthful social mobilization in North Africa and Middle East. What is going on in Sub-Africa and Middle East. What is going on in Sub-saharan Africa, in ’democratic’ countries as ie saharan Africa, in ’democratic’ countries as ie Tanzania?Tanzania?

The issue of youth, civic engagement and change: my The issue of youth, civic engagement and change: my focus started out on a specific organisation: Femina HIP focus started out on a specific organisation: Femina HIP in Tanzaniain Tanzania

TanzaniaTanzania

42 mio people42 mio people Multiparty political system since mid 1990ies Multiparty political system since mid 1990ies Rapidly changing media and comm landscapeRapidly changing media and comm landscape Civil society development – engaging with the Civil society development – engaging with the

media and engaging in public debatemedia and engaging in public debate Changing political environmentChanging political environment New opportunities for young citizens?New opportunities for young citizens?

Many limitations: electricity (10%), banking Many limitations: electricity (10%), banking (12%) , education..(12%) , education..

Research objectivesResearch objectives

To assess how youth experience, make use of and To assess how youth experience, make use of and engage in the public sphere and in democratic engage in the public sphere and in democratic development? development?

To explore how youth engage with a specific civil To explore how youth engage with a specific civil society-driven media and communication platform society-driven media and communication platform

To deconstruct the specific C4D initiative: its theme To deconstruct the specific C4D initiative: its theme choice & development; content production process; choice & development; content production process; it’s relation to both upwards and downward it’s relation to both upwards and downward accountability; its adaptation to change media and accountability; its adaptation to change media and comm landscape.comm landscape.

Media Access in Tanzania Media Access in Tanzania (2009)(2009)

Weekly activities (TAMPS 2009):Weekly activities (TAMPS 2009):

- 77% listens to radio (88%)77% listens to radio (88%)- 43% watches TV (42%)43% watches TV (42%)- 28% reads a newspaper (22%)28% reads a newspaper (22%)- 8% reads a magazine (3%)8% reads a magazine (3%)- 63% makes mobile call (42%)63% makes mobile call (42%)- 45% sends a text message (30%)45% sends a text message (30%)- 9% listens to radio on mobile (6%)9% listens to radio on mobile (6%)- 2% uses the internet (2%)2% uses the internet (2%)

Femina – reach per product (2009)Femina – reach per product (2009)

Fema magazine: Fema magazine: - 42% knows the magazine (9.8 mill)42% knows the magazine (9.8 mill)- 12% has read Fema within the last 7 days (2.8 mill)12% has read Fema within the last 7 days (2.8 mill)

Si Mchezo Magazine: Si Mchezo Magazine: - 29% knows the magazine (6.8 mill)29% knows the magazine (6.8 mill)- 5% has read Si Mchezo! within the last 7 days (1.2 mill)5% has read Si Mchezo! within the last 7 days (1.2 mill) Fema TV Talk Show:Fema TV Talk Show:- 20% knows the program (4.7 mill)20% knows the program (4.7 mill)- Almost 1 million regular viewers, 3.5 million watch every now and thenAlmost 1 million regular viewers, 3.5 million watch every now and then

Pilika Pilika (radio drama):Pilika Pilika (radio drama):- 5.4 million regular listeners in mainland Tanzania- 5.4 million regular listeners in mainland Tanzania

Chezasalama.comChezasalama.com- 28.000 registered users and approx. 30.000 annual visits 28.000 registered users and approx. 30.000 annual visits

Femina reaches 25% of the Tanzanian population Femina reaches 25% of the Tanzanian population

Contexts of youth agency (1)Contexts of youth agency (1)

Youth experiencing an epochal shiftYouth experiencing an epochal shift

Youth are not just any youth, since they are Youth are not just any youth, since they are experiencing the epochal transformation in experiencing the epochal transformation in their bodies (…) Those of us who are elder their bodies (…) Those of us who are elder feel doubts and uncertainties that have feel doubts and uncertainties that have nothing to do with those of our sons and nothing to do with those of our sons and daughters; they are of a different caliber and daughters; they are of a different caliber and type (…) We had every dogma we wanted type (…) We had every dogma we wanted and they have nothing evening beginning to and they have nothing evening beginning to resemble such dogmas – either in the resemble such dogmas – either in the religious, philosophical or political sense religious, philosophical or political sense (Martin-Barbero 2010)(Martin-Barbero 2010)

Contexts of youth agency (2) Contexts of youth agency (2)

The advent of globalizationThe advent of globalization

On the one hand, globalization, jointly with technological On the one hand, globalization, jointly with technological development, has undoubtedly increased the cultural development, has undoubtedly increased the cultural offers. But on the other hand, it is equally true that the offers. But on the other hand, it is equally true that the possibilities for access are reduced or restricted. In that possibilities for access are reduced or restricted. In that sense, sense, the thinking and analysis regarding the the thinking and analysis regarding the relationship between youth, communication and relationship between youth, communication and social change must be located precisely in the social change must be located precisely in the tension produced by this paradoxtension produced by this paradox. I.e., more and better . I.e., more and better means for communication, increasingly powerful means for communication, increasingly powerful technological devices, ’availability’ of enormous resources technological devices, ’availability’ of enormous resources for information and knowledge, in coexistence with the for information and knowledge, in coexistence with the increasing impoverishment of large areas of the planet, the increasing impoverishment of large areas of the planet, the aggravated conditions of exclusion, and the so called aggravated conditions of exclusion, and the so called ’digital divide’ (Reguillo, 2009; 22)’digital divide’ (Reguillo, 2009; 22)

Contexts of youth agency (3)Contexts of youth agency (3)

Instable subjectivities…Instable subjectivities…

Two characteristics of current Two characteristics of current societal transformations (Appadurai societal transformations (Appadurai 1996):1996):Mass migrationMass migrationElectronic mediation of everyday lifeElectronic mediation of everyday life

> Producing ’a new order of instability in > Producing ’a new order of instability in the production of modern subjectivities’the production of modern subjectivities’

Key inquiries…Key inquiries…

Better understand the creativity/diversity with Better understand the creativity/diversity with which youth engage with the rapidly changing which youth engage with the rapidly changing media and communication environmentsmedia and communication environments

Attention to the socio-economic realities Attention to the socio-economic realities (human (in)security, material/non-material (human (in)security, material/non-material dimensions)dimensions)

Unpacking ’Citizen tactics’: power relations, Unpacking ’Citizen tactics’: power relations, forms, means and spaces of resistance; citizen forms, means and spaces of resistance; citizen media)media)

Exploring agency through Exploring agency through ethnography: What’s the object of ethnography: What’s the object of

study?study?

’’From the local to the global, from the media to From the local to the global, from the media to the streets, from the city to cyperspace, from the the streets, from the city to cyperspace, from the classroom to the rock concert, from the migrants classroom to the rock concert, from the migrants to the traditional communities, from the believers to the traditional communities, from the believers to the consumers, from the youth to the women, to the consumers, from the youth to the women, from the tv viewers to the voters: understanding from the tv viewers to the voters: understanding the scenarios (spaces) where communication the scenarios (spaces) where communication flows, and understanding the key players flows, and understanding the key players requires understanding the set-backs, the requires understanding the set-backs, the ruptures, the continuities and the mutations ruptures, the continuities and the mutations which the social dynamic brings’ which the social dynamic brings’ (Reguillo (Reguillo 2005:69)2005:69)

Collaborative Research:Collaborative Research: 4 interlinked research projects4 interlinked research projects

Ethnography of 10 young women in Ethnography of 10 young women in Temeke (neighbourhood of Dar es Salaam)Temeke (neighbourhood of Dar es Salaam)

Household Survey (3-400) in TemekeHousehold Survey (3-400) in Temeke

Qualitative exploration of media use Qualitative exploration of media use amongst ’youth profiles’ across Tanzaniaamongst ’youth profiles’ across Tanzania

Policy contexts & civil society Policy contexts & civil society developmentsdevelopments

Youth Profiles (I)Youth Profiles (I)A Fema club member in a semi-rural areaA Fema club member in a semi-rural area

Outside Mwanza, secondary school girlOutside Mwanza, secondary school girlVery limited media accessVery limited media accessNo mobility – never been to DarNo mobility – never been to DarTraditional gender rolesTraditional gender roles Issues of sexual harassmentIssues of sexual harassmentFew work opportunitiesFew work opportunitiesAmbitious: politician, lawyer, Ambitious: politician, lawyer,

accountant..accountant..

Youth Profiles (II) Youth Profiles (II) AA community theatre peer activistcommunity theatre peer activist

Voluteer youth leader in Temeke – lives & is Voluteer youth leader in Temeke – lives & is from there, 27 yrs old, 14 years of peer from there, 27 yrs old, 14 years of peer education experienceeducation experience

Engaging with health communication Engaging with health communication activities through partnership with NGOsactivities through partnership with NGOs

Supporting local civil society development Supporting local civil society development Performing theatre locally, across country Performing theatre locally, across country

and in parliamentand in parliamentClose to newly elected young city council Close to newly elected young city council

membersmembers

Youth Profiles (III) Youth Profiles (III) The young bloggerThe young blogger

What is really attractive about using social media for a lot of What is really attractive about using social media for a lot of people, certainly me and a lot of my friends who use social people, certainly me and a lot of my friends who use social media is media is the ability to express themselves, and the the ability to express themselves, and the freedom to do so. freedom to do so. Because, Because, the internet is the final the internet is the final freedom, you knowfreedom, you know. There is no censorship there, there is no . There is no censorship there, there is no hierarchy of gender or age, you know, you don’t have to fear if hierarchy of gender or age, you know, you don’t have to fear if you put your voice out there, especially if you are blogging you put your voice out there, especially if you are blogging anonymously or if you are tweeting anonymously. It is sort of anonymously or if you are tweeting anonymously. It is sort of the ultimate space for that freedom of expression and I feel the ultimate space for that freedom of expression and I feel strongly that it should be guarded. It should be promoted. It strongly that it should be guarded. It should be promoted. It should not suffer from control, censorship, expertise, any of should not suffer from control, censorship, expertise, any of those sort of things that end up creating barriers to self-those sort of things that end up creating barriers to self-expression. So I would like to welcome you warmly to my blog, expression. So I would like to welcome you warmly to my blog, do pass by. I always read all responses, I try to respond to do pass by. I always read all responses, I try to respond to everybody when I have time and, welcome to the conversation everybody when I have time and, welcome to the conversation (C, 2011)(C, 2011)

Some next stepsSome next steps

Further embed the analysis of Further embed the analysis of youth’s use of Femina media youth’s use of Femina media products in social and cultural products in social and cultural practicespractices

Further historisize the forms of public Further historisize the forms of public sphere engagement sphere engagement

Youth Agency and Public Sphere EngagementYouth Agency and Public Sphere Engagement

Changing and diverse public spheresChanging and diverse public spheresOral public spheresOral public spheresMass mediated public spheresMass mediated public spheresThe internetThe internet

Where now? Mobile Distributed Public Where now? Mobile Distributed Public Spheres? (E.Hansen 2011)Spheres? (E.Hansen 2011)

A fusion of physical and public spheres?A fusion of physical and public spheres?

Less reflective, more spontaneous?Less reflective, more spontaneous?

More action-oriented approaches?More action-oriented approaches?