Learning from the practice of culture, development and peace

in NigerDamien Helly & Greta Galeazzi

(Presentation by Greta Galeazzi)

23 October 2015

No sands castles - Earth architecture and peace

caravans.

1. Where do we come from and why this paper?

2. The rationale of a multimedia approach to researching culture & development

3. Towards a methodology / protocol for multimedia research & storytelling

Structure of the presentation

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• What is the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM): a think-tank in The Netherlands, doing policy research but also working with local actors in Africa and elsewhere.

• Our track record on culture & development and culture in EU external relations: Preparatory Action, leading on most of the European Neighbourhood.

• Policy discussions in the EU.

1.1 Where do we come from?

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• What is the value / role of culture in the promotion of sustainable development and peace?

• Is it possible (and useful) to apply a multimedia research approach to produce knowledge on culture and development? What are the challenges and the limitations of such approach?

• Focus on the practical cases of two cultural projects being funded by the EU in Niger.

1.2. Why this paper?

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1.3 The projects by CISP

1.4 Conceptualising the “culture-development nexus” (I)

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1.5 Conceptualising the “culture-development nexus” (II)

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Sources Dimension 1 Dimension 2 Dimension 3

Holden (2013), Dessin et al (2015) [COST Report]

Intrinsic / Aesthetic / Artistic & technical excellence

Instrumental / Value for money

Institutional / Behaviour change potential(anthropological)

Dessin et al (2015) [COST Report]

Culture in development (including cultural and creative industries)

Culture for development

Culture as development

Authors’ understanding of the three dimensions of the culture-development nexus

Cultural sector producing culture for the sake of it

Culture as an autonomous but linked sector

Role of culture in influencing / impacting other sectors (mediation role)

Culture as (potential) driver of change of sustainable development, peacebuilding, counter radicalisation, etc (changing behaviors).

• Issues in the evaluation of the role of culture in/for/as development.

• Methodological advances but cultural values remain subjective and personal experiences given social meaning by individuals.

• Recurrent challenges for analysing the role and impact of EU-funded (but also other donors’) cultural projects having development or peace goals.

2.1 The rationale of a multimedia approach to researching culture &

development

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2.2 Storytelling in research (and in communications)

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Storytelling a research tool

Sociologic / Anthropologic / Ethnographic

Research /Organisational

science

used in

leads to

Participatory research

Participatory action (co-creation

of solutions)

Narrative analysis & research

Sense making

useful for

What is storytelling in the academic research world?

● A research tool already in use in some research domains;

● often with long timeframes (participatory approach);

● and with a own set of ethical problems.

A communication tool appealing to emotions, experiences, etc.

• The innovation: a multimedia approach• Potential added value / benefits of a multimedia

approach (including storytelling) to culture in/for/as development - Co-creation and co-performance, trust-building,

participation, exchanges- Context-specific and multi-dimensional data- Data storage and re-use- Audience and communication (synthesis, accessibility,

impact).

Disclaimer: storytelling not suitable for generalisations.

2.3 The rationale of a multimedia approach to researching culture &

development

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• Multiplicity of stories (“real stories”, no embellishment) vs one story / storyboarding (“crafting” the story)

• Anthropological / ethnographic approach

• Questions of political correctness (in developing countries: the impact of donor-recipient mentality; Bayart’s “strategies of extraversion”)

• Questions of confidentiality

• Questionnaires vs open ended questions vs “focus groups”

• Current criticism of some research on the value of culture: differentiate between research, evaluation, advocacy?

2.4 Challenges and limitations

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1. Identification and setting the boundaries / limits1. Scoping the debate around the projects managed and implemented by CISP and its partners, to identify the political and policy context.2. Screening of available audiovisual data. CISP already produced videos interviews during the time of the workshops and performances of the “caravanes de la paix” and of the “Architecture en terre” project. 3. Interviews with key stakeholders and resource people4. Identification of key partners including audiovisual companies and operators.

3.1 Towards a methodology / protocol for multimedia research

& storytelling (I)

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2. Agreeing on the principles of engagement with CISP and its partners and communities

2.Narrowing down the locations (geography)3. Co-development of indicators to understand the processes - social, financial political, emotional, psychological - through which culture has an impact (or not) on development. We would test whether the impacts or effects of the projects can be reconducted to the three conceptualisation of culture for/in/as development.4.Decide on questionnaires vs semi-structured interviews (pros / cons)5.Tailoring approaches to typologies of informers / stakeholders / interviewees / focus groups6.Build-up an audiovisual synopsis based on initial consultations and options for storytelling, to be refined after the field research.

3. Carry out field research.2.Identify indicators in audio-visual material gathered.3.Refine the storyboard, synthesise findings.

4. Process materials and dissemination.

3.2 Towards a methodology / protocol for multimedia research

& storytelling (II)

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3.3 Towards a methodology / protocol for multimedia research

& storytelling

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Culture in development

Culture for development

Culture as development

Indicators for interviews with audience and participants

Various based on groupings identified by Carnwath & Brown (2014) in particular on engagement and on aesthetics

Various based on groupings identified by Carnwath & Brown (2014) in particular on intellectual stimulation

Various based on groupings identified by Carnwath & Brown (2014) in particular on empathy and social connectedness

Indicators for interviews with experts and resources people

Indicators for audiovisual evidence

Economic / Revenue

Environmental / Ecology

Social

Direct impacts

Indirect impacts

3.4 Some first remarks

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• Start of a (“co-creation”?) dynamic with CISP. • Practical application of the methodology to be

done in the future, focusing on the key questions we aim to answer:• lessons learnt from earth architecture as a type of

cultural action aimed at poverty reduction and sustainable decent housing in this region;

• the value and limits of cultural action in Niger as part of the EU’s contribution to development and peace;

• the ways to engage the youth in this region, in a context of poverty, exclusion, religious tensions and risks of radicalisation, and migration.

Thank youwww.ecdpm.org

www.slideshare.net/ecdpm

Questions and comments to:Greta Galeazzigg@ecdpm.org

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Culture & development in the EU and culture in EU external relations • Track record of the EU in culture & development:

Preparatory Action and other studies map the EU’s engagement in culture and external action.

• Recent evolutions: a strategy in the making in the EU’s kitchens.

• School of thoughts in the EU institutions about culture & development.

Main concepts of culture & development (including in the EU)

(II)

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• Least Developed Country (LDC); ranking 187 on 187 in the Human Development Index.

• “Precarious balance”: protests in Zinder and in Niamey (capital city) after the participation of President Issoufou in the “Je suis Charlie” march in Paris in January 2015.

• Domestic politics: the flight of the former president of the National Assembly to France in August 2014

• Consequences of Boko Haram in the south (Diffa)

• Regional context: Mali, Libya, migration, the Tuareg rebellion, Islamic / jihadi groups in the North

The context of Niger

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The projects by CISP

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Programme d’épanouissement culturel de la jeunesse

Une industrie culturelle en développement : l’architecture en terre

January 2014 – ongoing till December 2015 August 2012 – August 2014Funded by the European Union’s Instrument for Stability

Funded by the European Union’s 10th European Development Fund (EDF) and by the ACP Secretariat (Programme ACP-UE d’appui aux secteurs culturels ACP)

The project aims to:1) improve the cultural programmes in the Maisons de la Culture, and the participation of youth in the programmes; and2) strengthen the capacity of the Maisons de la Culture. These activities will lead to better access to culture for youth, ultimately leading to better social, economic and cultural conditions for the youth

The promotion and strengthening of the “cultural industry” of architecture done with local materials (“terre”) will start a process of sustainable development, leading to reduction of poverty, the promotion of decent and sustainable housing, and better economic, social and cultural conditions for the population. The specific objectives through which this cultural industry is supported are:1) technical and vocational trainings and exchanges of the sector’s workers; and2) sensitisation of the local communities about earth architecture.