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SUMMARY:'Africa's Voices' project seminar - Dr Sharath Srinivasan (CGHR) a
 nd Dr Claudia Abreu Lopes (CGHR) 
DTSTART:20131016T120000Z
DTEND:20131016T130000Z
UID:TALK47979@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Gabriela Martinez
DESCRIPTION:Abstract:\n\nTwo decades ago\, state broadcasters and foreign 
 news services monopolised African airwaves. Today\, many countries count s
 cores of local radio stations – commercial\, community\, religious – o
 ften in rural settings and broadcasting in local languages. Moreover\, mob
 ile phones are enabling a multitude of African voices to be heard on inter
 active shows. Such interactions are reshaping relationships and identities
  – audience and journalist\, constituent and representative\, citizen an
 d state\, media and government – as well as reshaping processes that ena
 ct contestations over political accountability and legitimacy. The develop
 ment of new\, more inclusive and expansive\, public spheres for debate and
  discussion presents an important juncture in African political developmen
 t.\n\nAfrica’s Voices is an applied research project at Cambridge’s Ce
 ntre of Governance and Human Rights (CGHR)\, and part of a wider research 
 programme on ‘African politics and the digitally-mediated public sphere
 ’. During its pilot year\, Africa’s Voices worked with 9 radio station
 s in eight African countries\, gathering and analysing SMS texts on intera
 ctive shows on agreed topics. Drawing on pilot insights\, we are exploring
  ways to innovate technologically and methodologically to reconceptualise 
 and analyse ‘public opinion’ in ways that value voices in their natura
 l forms of expression. With industry collaborations (IBM Research Lab Afri
 ca\, FrontlineSMS\, Internews)\, we are developing an innovative new socia
 l research platform that can be used by practitioners\, policymakers and r
 esearchers.\n\nSeminar programme:\n\nBeyond ‘Big Data’: Valuing New Vo
 ices in African Public Spheres\n_Dr Sharath Srinivasan (CGHR)_ \n\nThe ‘
 Africa’s Voices’ Project: Fostering Public Debate and Public Opinion G
 athering in Africa  \n_Dr Claudia Abreu Lopes (CGHR)_ \n\nA Short Film: 
 ‘Africa’s Voices’ \n_by Dr Dominique Chadwick_\n\nPlease join us for
  coffee\, tea and further discussion after the session.
LOCATION:Room S1\, Alison Richard Building\, Sidgwick Site\, 7 West Rd\, C
 B3 9DT
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