Transcript Establishing Visual Anthropology at the University of Bamako

Generating Knowledge through the Visual
Media: Establishing Visual Anthropology
at the University of Bamako, Mali
Oslo 13.12.10
The University of Bamako
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A young university, established in 1996
FLASH – Faculty of Social Sciences, Languages
and Arts
Department of Social Sciences
About 17 500 students
The importance of international university
collaboration
Previous collaboration between Visual
Cultural Studies (VCS) and FLASH
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The Peace Corps project (2000 – 2003)
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A first attempt to establish Visual Anthropology at
UoBamako
Two students from the UoBamako recruited at the
Master’s at VCS
Former Dean at FLASH serving his sabbatical year at
VCS in Tromsø (2006)
Images with a Capital ”I” - Developing Visual
Literacy in Cross-Cultural Communication
(2006-2010)
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Main objective:
…. to make use of culture/aesthetics and creativity
to develop new languages which allow local populations’
access to and influence on regional and national
instances in the partners’ countries.
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Sub-goals:
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Establish a sustainable teaching programme in visual
anthropology at the University of Bamako.
Contribute to the enhancement of audio-visual
literacy by the development of theories and
methodologies in the humanities and social sciences.
To enhance the recognition of the importance of
reciprocal dependency in the educational institutions
in the North and the South.
First period 2006 – 2008
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Visual anthropology courses established as
part of the regular curriculum at the
Bachelor’s and Master’s levels at the
UoBamako
20 Bachelor’s, and from these
 6 Master’s graduated
 6 started their Master’s studies
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 Dissemination
screenings
 One
seminar in Bamako with film
student from the UoBamako graduated
from the Master’s at Visual Cultural Studies
(UoTromsø) and was recruited as part of
the regular staff at UoBamako
Second period 2009 – 2010
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Improved integration of the VA courses with
the other courses in Anthropology at UoB
6 Master’s graduated
 16 Bachelor’s, and from these
 6 Master’s completed their fieldwork
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Dissemination seminar with film screenings
One student from UoBamako recruited at the
Master’s at Visual Cultural Studies (UoTromsø)
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Binding collaboration with institutions with
competence on still-photography (Promofem)
and film (CNCM) in Bamako
Teachers reqruited from these institutions
 Practice stays for graduates
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Other achievements
Exchange of teachers with UoMaroua in Cameroon
 Reduced involvement in the regular teaching from
the VCS staff
 Collaboration with The Norwegian Church Aid
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Bachelor’s level - Educational approach
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Photography, anthropological theory and
ethnographic methodology
Photo based mini-fieldwork projects in small
scale settings
The visual material as a catalyst for an
continuously evolving project dialogue
The divination project – Various steps
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Development of the project in class
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First field visit – significant aspects of the ritual
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10 photos presented in class
re
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Classroom discussions
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A backward traditionalist or ….?
The complex approach of methodological relativism
Second field visit - Back to the diviner, enriched with
the comments from classroom discussions
 What counts as knowledge in different settings
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Classroom discussions
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Third field visit – the life history of the diviner
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Not a vanishing tradition, but ongoing aspects of
modernization in the Malian society
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Classroom discussions
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Paper written for the exam
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With photos, important findings and discussion of
methodological issues
Master’s level – Educational approach
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The video camera as a tool of investigation
The development of an observational sensitivity
which give access to lived life
Patience, presence and hopefully also the
avoidance of reifications
Film and written theses – complementary
knowledge
Ali’s Dream, by S. Sagara (2008)
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Among the films made by the first group of
students.
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Common research theme: Urbanization processes in
Bamako
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Ali, a young immigrant in Bamako coming from
Dogon land
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New understanding of seemingly well known
phenomena
Main achievements – Images with
a capital ”I”
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A teaching programme in VA established at UoB
 Three cohorts of Master’s students enrolled
 South-South collaboration developed between
the UoBamako and the UoMaroua
 Collaboration with filmmaking institutions in
Bamako established
 Facilities - Library, editing suites,
camera/sound equipment
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Some employment possibilities established for
the graduates after practice stays
Participation at the film festival at Njamina
“Echag – The Well” by S. Diallo received the
student film award at the Moscow
international festival and conference of Visual
Anthropology in 2010
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Important steps toward sustainability
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One regular VA position established at UoB
Collaboration with CNCM financed by UoB
Classroom and office facilities given by UoB
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Obstacles
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Difficult to finance Ph.D candidates who can
take the academic responsibility for the VA
program at UoBamako
The cooperaton is financed till the end of
2010 - some support still needed in 2011
Visions for the future
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Visual anthropology in Tromsø, Bamako and
Maroua
Mutual exchange of teachers and students +
research collaboration
…… on our way to accomplish these aims