In West Africa where generations are changing after democratization, what kind of 'change' do media and youth hope for ?

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K12514
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 80010:Area studies-related
• Research Institution: Otani University
• Principal Investigator: TANAKA MASATAKA 大谷大学, 社会学部, 教授 (30398549)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: アフリカ / ベナン / トーゴ / セネガル / 民主化 / 世代交代 / 若者 / メディア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

African countries that became increasingly democratic in the 1990s are now undergoing regime change from the old regimes and a generational shift in political actors. In this study, we defined “youth” as people in their 20s to 30s born before and after the democratization, and investigated specific examples of social movements. The study clarified various activities and their future prospects in the quest for social change. In each conutries of Africa, as multi-party systems and popular elections took hold from the democratic transition, populism trend prevailed. The new president's administration soon became authoritarian, and there observed a sense of stagnation among those who had lost their freedom of speech. Based on these situations, the study clearly showed that people are shifting from mass media to social media for social criticism against the changing political climate of increasing repression, and that this unique assembly is being developed.

Free Research Field

文化人類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

若者論は近年、アフリカの人口論で注目されているが、国内、国外(国際)への情報発信がなお少なかった。そこで、本研究が国際的な情報発信や議論の実践を両輪とした意義は大きい。研究期間の一連の英文業績は、本文やアブストラクトを researchgate やacademia edu などの学術サイトへリンケージすることで国際的な公開、アクセスの環境を整備した。メディア、若者、アフリカ地域研究に関心を抱く、十数か国の研究者からの参照、引用がなされている。
これは、今後の情報交流や研究の深化発展への途を拓き、「西アフリカ社会の世代交代と社会変動における若者層の諸実践」についての総合研究への端緒となる。