Abstract
The book compiles several studies dealing with the interplay among media, youth empowerment, and civic engagement within the context of East and South African current societies. In order to understand processes of social change, the volume investigates how African youth engages with traditional media and information and communications technology (ICT), and how that affects different aspects of their lives. Focusing on institutional and cultural dimensions, several articles analyze nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations (CSO), and governmental interventions, as well as participatory techniques and communication strategies targeting youth empowerment. Some of them also intend to reveal bottom-up practices and media appropriations by local people. Others provide theoretical reviews and debates. The book also discusses ideas related to the power of traditional media and ICT in promoting democratization processes within a communication for development and social change (CDSC) framework.
The articles are organized into four thematic sections. The first section (‘Introduction and Conceptual Framing’) summarizes noteworthy conceptual debates around CDSC.
With an informative chapter (‘African youth, media and civic engagement’), Tufte and Wildermuth present the book’s structure. In ‘Towards a renaissance in communication for social change: Redefining the discipline and practice in the post “Arab Spring” era,’ Tufte draws conceptual differences between the CDSC framework and new bottom-up communication practices for social change. He offers a typology of CDSC and highlights key points for its reformulation.
Manyozo (‘Communication for development [C4D] in Sub-Saharan Africa: Redefining the discipline and practice in the post “Arab Spring” era’) analyzes four different trends in thinking and practicing C4D. Two problems are highlighted: first, the C4D agenda was affected by different ideological, intellectual, and methodological movements; second, exogenous approaches were favored over local resources, knowledge, and realities. He finds little critical research and a lack of agreement about the discipline’s definition.
The second section, ‘ICT, Empowerment and Policies,’ focuses on case studies conducted in Kenya, assessing the role of the institutional dimension in facilitating the empowerment of women and youth by using ICT.
Wildermuth (‘Information and communication technology-facilitated e-citizenship, e-democracy and digital empowerment in Kenya: The opportunities and constraints of community-based initiatives’) maps the Nairobi ICT-for-social-change scene, identifying key actors and their activities in the field of digital inclusion. He outlines challenges that CSOs face in addressing digital involvement and empowerment of its beneficiaries, and discusses conceptual issues regarding design and implementation of ICT-facilitated strategies for participatory communication.
Addressing the ‘Institutional context of ICT and women’s participation in Kenya,’ Mitullah analyzes, first, the influence of current ICT policies and regulations on women’s participation and empowerment, and, second, women’s use of ICT as a mediating technology for improving their livelihoods within that context. Findings show that current intervention programs have little influence outside the domestic sphere.
In ‘Social media and digital democracy: An exploration of online forums for civic engagement and the involvement of Kenyan youth in participatory development,’ Mbure assesses the use of Facebook in promoting opportunities for civic engagement and youth involvement in their society’s political process. Findings suggest that young people increasingly engage through social media. However, the remaining challenge is to establish a grassroots organization to complement the online presence.
Kisakeni-Sørensen and Petuchaite (‘Prospects for civil society empowerment through the use of the new media’) observe the use and adoption of new media in civil society. The study shows that the information received online was also distributed through offline channels, such as strong and weak ties. Within a strong digital divide context, new and traditional media appeared mutually dependent.
Githaiga (‘Young women and ICT: A need to devise new strategies’) reviews available literature about the use of ICT by young African women, and its impact on their intercommunication and practices as groups or individuals. She identifies a lack of information regarding gender issues related to the use and impact of ICT.
The third section, ‘Health and Social Change,’ assesses the intense African experience with health communication strategies and participatory approaches targeting youth sexual practices. It also represents a claim for considering social science approaches in addressing health issues often dominated by quantitative medical perspectives.
Govender (‘Conflicting paradigms: Challenges to HIV and AIDS communication, a South African perspective’) addresses challenges to HIV and AIDS communication strategies from a cultural and media studies perspective. Main paradigms and debates in that field are reviewed, assessing their different aspects and conflicting points.
Friberg-Nielsen and Schütten (‘Involving youth in peer education: Message deliverers of agents of change?’) evaluate an HIV/AIDS prevention project in Mbarara, central Uganda, involving local youth as peer educators. They describe, first, barriers to ‘horizontal dialogue’ between educators and participant members of a target group and, second, ways to overcome such barriers.
Addressing ‘HIV/AIDS campaigns as signifying processes: Group dynamics, meaning-formation and sexual practice,’ Mulwo and Tomaselli analyze the meaning-formation process among South African university students exposed to ABC (abstinence, monogamy, and condoms) and VCT (voluntary counseling and testing) campaigns. They observe the influence of the interpretation of campaign messages on their sexual practices.
Through ‘Examining civil society approaches to adolescent sexual empowerment in Tanzania,’ Rweyemamu suggests relevant challenges for ongoing CSO interventions: empowering rather than regulating sexual behaviors, guaranteeing space and capacity needed for agenda setting, and understanding of different influences achieved at individual, group, and community levels.
Strand explores the efforts of defenders of human rights to influence local print media coverage of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill (2009). She mentions the difficulty in using local media channels to promote sexual minorities’ rights, whereas an alliance between local and international media seems to be more effective in raising awareness and demand for social change.
The fourth and last section (‘Culture and Social Change’) considers the influence of cultural aspects on using media and participatory techniques in order to facilitate processes of social change. Under the belief that people need to be agents of their own empowerment processes, it shows tensions among system-driven spaces for communication and participation, and bottom-up, informal and noninstitutionalized spaces.
Junagade (‘Makamba culture clubs: Towards communication for reconciliation’) assesses the contribution of rural ‘culture clubs’ on fostering peace and reconciliation among members of postconflict societies. She shows that culture clubs offer effective spaces to re-examine societal problems and recodify collective identities. She also provides an innovative theoretical framework about ‘communication for reconciliation.’
Storm-Braskov (‘Communicating crime prevention: Participation and building trust in Kibera’) tackles youth crime prevention interventions in informal settlements. From community-level approaches and participatory communication, he identifies more sustainable and effective strategies that focus on overcoming stereotypes and other barriers to communication.
Gustafsson deals with ‘Community radio as promoters of youth culture’ and discusses its capability to empower youth in Nairobi’s slums. As a mechanism for negotiating norms, values, and identities, he analyzes three radio broadcasts produced by and focused on young people. Findings show that youth benefit from training opportunities, working skills, developing professional identity, and reinforcing and strengthening a sense of pride against stigmatizing stereotypes.
Hansen-Skovmoes and Røijen (‘Film for social change: A study of the Zanzibar International Film Festival’s initiatives for bringing about social change for the local youth’) analyze the employment of film festivals to stimulate processes of social change for young people. Findings suggest that the festival has failed in achieving its objective due to the lack of previous analysis on youth’s life situations, which limited young people’s participation in the festival.
In ‘Hidden voices on air: Empowering Tanzanian youth through participatory radio,’ Yarde focuses on former street children involved in the process of making a radio program. He observes how young producers are empowered as a result of engaging in dialogue with a wide community of listeners. He suggests that the use of participatory media gives them a voice and a space to discuss community problems around youth issues.
This book is a relevant contribution to the study of African contemporary societies, which are currently experiencing significant transformations. The chapters are not only interesting for social scientists, but also for politicians and medical doctors that have to deal with institutional and cultural specificities and limitations. Grounded on theoretical discussions and empirical data, the book sheds light on the analysis of processes of social change and will stimulate the development of further research. Accustomed to an era of showy phenomena, it also shows that despite the apparent disappearance of the Arab Spring’s effect, there are other relevant social phenomena that are still working, aiming to change the societies.