generating knowledge through the visual media: establishing visual anthropology at the university of...

Generating Knowledge through the Generating Knowledge through the Visual Media: Establishing Visual Visual Media: Establishing Visual Anthropology at the University of Anthropology at the University of Bamako, MaliBamako, Mali

Oslo 13.12.10Oslo 13.12.10

The University of BamakoThe University of Bamako

A young university, established in 1996A young university, established in 1996 FLASH – Faculty of Social Sciences, FLASH – Faculty of Social Sciences,

Languages and ArtsLanguages and Arts Department of Social SciencesDepartment of Social Sciences About 17 500 studentsAbout 17 500 students The importance of international university The importance of international university

collaborationcollaboration

Previous collaboration between Visual Previous collaboration between Visual Cultural Studies (VCS) and FLASHCultural Studies (VCS) and FLASH

The Peace Corps project (2000 – 2003)The Peace Corps project (2000 – 2003) A first attempt to establish Visual Anthropology A first attempt to establish Visual Anthropology

at UoBamakoat UoBamako Two students from the UoBamako recruited at Two students from the UoBamako recruited at

the Master’s at VCSthe Master’s at VCS

Former Dean at FLASH serving his sabbatical year Former Dean at FLASH serving his sabbatical year at VCS in Tromsø (2006)at VCS in Tromsø (2006)

Images with a Capital ”I” - Developing Visual Images with a Capital ”I” - Developing Visual Literacy in Cross-Cultural CommunicationLiteracy in Cross-Cultural Communication

(2006-2010)(2006-2010)

Main objective:Main objective:

……. . to make use of culture/aesthetics and to make use of culture/aesthetics and creativity to develop new languages which allow creativity to develop new languages which allow local populations’ access to and influence on local populations’ access to and influence on regional and national instances in the partners’ regional and national instances in the partners’ countries.countries.

Sub-goals:Sub-goals:

Establish a sustainable teaching programme in Establish a sustainable teaching programme in visual anthropology at the University of Bamako.visual anthropology at the University of Bamako.

Contribute to the enhancement of audio-visual Contribute to the enhancement of audio-visual literacy by the development of theories and literacy by the development of theories and methodologies in the humanities and social methodologies in the humanities and social sciences.sciences.

To enhance the recognition of the importance of To enhance the recognition of the importance of reciprocal dependency in the educational reciprocal dependency in the educational institutions in the North and the South.institutions in the North and the South.

First period 2006 – 2008First period 2006 – 2008

Visual anthropology courses established Visual anthropology courses established as part of the regular curriculum at the as part of the regular curriculum at the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels at the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels at the UoBamakoUoBamako

20 Bachelor’s, and from these20 Bachelor’s, and from these 6 Master’s graduated6 Master’s graduated 6 started their Master’s studies6 started their Master’s studies

Dissemination seminar in Bamako Dissemination seminar in Bamako with film screeningswith film screenings

One student from the UoBamako One student from the UoBamako graduated from the Master’s at Visual graduated from the Master’s at Visual Cultural Studies (UoTromsø) and was Cultural Studies (UoTromsø) and was recruited as part of the regular staff at recruited as part of the regular staff at UoBamakoUoBamako

Second period 2009 – 2010Second period 2009 – 2010

Improved integration of the VA courses Improved integration of the VA courses with the other courses in Anthropology at with the other courses in Anthropology at UoBUoB

6 Master’s graduated6 Master’s graduated 16 Bachelor’s, and from these16 Bachelor’s, and from these 6 Master’s completed their fieldwork6 Master’s completed their fieldwork

Dissemination seminar with film screeningsDissemination seminar with film screenings

One student from UoBamako recruited at the One student from UoBamako recruited at the Master’s at Visual Cultural Studies (UoTromsø)Master’s at Visual Cultural Studies (UoTromsø)

Binding collaboration with institutions Binding collaboration with institutions with competence on still-photography with competence on still-photography (Promofem) and film (CNCM) in Bamako(Promofem) and film (CNCM) in Bamako

Teachers reqruited from these institutionsTeachers reqruited from these institutions Practice stays for graduatesPractice stays for graduates

Other achievementsOther achievements Exchange of teachers with UoMaroua in Exchange of teachers with UoMaroua in

CameroonCameroon Reduced involvement in the regular Reduced involvement in the regular

teaching from the VCS staff teaching from the VCS staff Collaboration with The Norwegian Church Collaboration with The Norwegian Church

AidAid

rsrs

uu

Bachelor’s level - Educational Bachelor’s level - Educational approachapproach

Photography, anthropological theory and Photography, anthropological theory and ethnographic methodology ethnographic methodology

Photo based mini-fieldwork projects in Photo based mini-fieldwork projects in small scale settingssmall scale settings

The visual material as a catalyst for an The visual material as a catalyst for an continuously evolving project dialoguecontinuously evolving project dialogue

The divination project – Various stepsThe divination project – Various steps

Development of the project in classDevelopment of the project in class

First field visit – significant aspects of the First field visit – significant aspects of the ritualritual

10 photos presented in class10 photos presented in class

rere

Classroom discussionsClassroom discussions A backward traditionalist or ….?A backward traditionalist or ….? The complex approach of methodological The complex approach of methodological

relativismrelativism

Second field visit -Second field visit - Back to the diviner, Back to the diviner, enriched with the comments from classroom enriched with the comments from classroom discussionsdiscussions What counts as knowledge in different settingsWhat counts as knowledge in different settings

Classroom discussionsClassroom discussions

Third field visit –Third field visit – the life history of the divinerthe life history of the diviner Not a vanishing tradition, but ongoing aspects Not a vanishing tradition, but ongoing aspects

of modernization in the Malian societyof modernization in the Malian society

Classroom discussionsClassroom discussions

Paper written for the exam Paper written for the exam With photos, important findings and discussion With photos, important findings and discussion

of methodological issuesof methodological issues

Master’s level – Educational Master’s level – Educational approachapproach

The video camera as a tool of investigationThe video camera as a tool of investigation

The development of an observational The development of an observational sensitivity which give access to lived lifesensitivity which give access to lived life

Patience, presence and hopefully also the Patience, presence and hopefully also the avoidance of reificationsavoidance of reifications

Film and written theses – complementary Film and written theses – complementary knowledgeknowledge

Ali’s Dream, by S. Sagara (2008)Ali’s Dream, by S. Sagara (2008)

Among the films made by the first group of Among the films made by the first group of students. students. Common research theme: Urbanization Common research theme: Urbanization

processes in Bamakoprocesses in Bamako

Ali, a young immigrant in Bamako coming Ali, a young immigrant in Bamako coming from Dogon landfrom Dogon land

New understanding of seemingly well New understanding of seemingly well known phenomenaknown phenomena

Main achievements – Images with Main achievements – Images with a capital ”I”a capital ”I”

A teaching programme in VA established at UoBA teaching programme in VA established at UoB Three cohorts of Master’s students enrolled Three cohorts of Master’s students enrolled South-South collaboration developed between South-South collaboration developed between

the UoBamako and the UoMarouathe UoBamako and the UoMaroua Collaboration with filmmaking institutions in Collaboration with filmmaking institutions in

Bamako establishedBamako established Facilities - Library, editing suites, Facilities - Library, editing suites,

camera/sound equipmentcamera/sound equipment

Some employment possibilities Some employment possibilities established for the graduates after established for the graduates after practice stayspractice stays

Participation at the film festival at Participation at the film festival at Njamina Njamina

““Echag – The Well” by S. Diallo received Echag – The Well” by S. Diallo received the student film award at the Moscow the student film award at the Moscow international festival and conference of international festival and conference of Visual Anthropology in 2010Visual Anthropology in 2010

Important steps toward sustainability Important steps toward sustainability One regular VA position established at One regular VA position established at

UoB UoB Collaboration with CNCM financed by Collaboration with CNCM financed by

UoBUoB Classroom and office facilities given by Classroom and office facilities given by

UoB UoB

ObstaclesObstacles Difficult to finance Ph.D candidates who Difficult to finance Ph.D candidates who

can take the academic responsibility for can take the academic responsibility for the VA program at UoBamakothe VA program at UoBamako

The cooperaton is financed till the end The cooperaton is financed till the end of 2010 - some support still needed in of 2010 - some support still needed in 20112011

Visions for the futureVisions for the future

Visual anthropology in Tromsø, Bamako Visual anthropology in Tromsø, Bamako and Marouaand Maroua

Mutual exchange of teachers and students Mutual exchange of teachers and students + research collaboration+ research collaboration

…… …… on our way to accomplish these on our way to accomplish these aimsaims