2021 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
The Political Economy of Digital Platforms in sub-Saharan Africa: Leveraging Decentralisation Programmes and Digital Democracy by the Youth
| Project/Area Number |
21K20108
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| Research Institution | Sophia University |
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Principal Investigator |
KINYUA Kithinji 上智大学, 総合グローバル学部, 研究員 (50909265)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2021-08-30 – 2023-03-31
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| Keywords | Digital platforms / Digital democracy / Decentralisation / State programmes / Rumours and gossip |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The first phase of this project primarily involved data collection and database building from the field. Research activities focused on exploring the interpersonal links among the rural dwellers in Kenya to predict how these links are being applied in emerging digital platforms. At this stage, I have established that the networks that have traditionally been used for political mobilisation in Kenya remain key element of leveraging fiscal opportunities even when done in emerging digital platforms. I then evaluate common narratives that I refer to at this stage as both gossip and rumours to explore any distinct features when they move from the village interpersonal level to the digital platforms. This study appears to be the first attempt to thoroughly expand the notions of rumours in Kenyan political discourse analysed by Grace Musila (2015) as weapon for the disenfranchised communities to engage with the State. I made an oral presentation of the key theoretical approaches at the research workshop of ILCAA - Tokyo University of Foreign Studies titled " Towards a Political Ethnography of Digital Media Platforms in Rural Africa: Theoretical Underpinnings." I have also written a paper that I see as a foundation for this work titled "Experiencing the State in sub-Saharan Africa: Historicising District Toponymy and Decentralisation as a Landscape for Development in Central Kenya" published by the Institute of Asian, Africa, and Middle Eastern Studies - Sophia University. I am further looking forward for key presentations and papers in the coming years.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
1: Research has progressed more than it was originally planned.
Reason
Despite the travel restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic, I have successfully managed to collect the necessary preliminary data and information for the empirical analysis. I have also made key contacts and networks with the informants for the next step.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
During the 2022 financial year, I plan to revisit the field for further data collection and insights. I also plan to use this time to make careful observation of the forthcoming general election in Kenya. Before departing for data collection, I will present my preliminary findings at the Japan Association of African Studies with a hope to receive comments that might help improve data collection exercise. Having gathered the necessary data, I will embark on careful analysis and prepare final script to be submitted as journal articles.
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| Causes of Carryover |
The main reason funds remained were that I successfully managed to collect important primary data in the target field within a shorter period than initially thought. The remaining amount of money left over will be used to cover a lengthy field work scheduled for 2022.
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