Broadcasting Change: Radio Talk Shows, Education and Women's
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Broadcasting Change: Radio Talk Shows, Education and Women’s Empowerment in Senegal A dissertation presented to the faculty of The Patton College of Education of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Fanta Diamanka May 2013 © 2013 Fanta Diamanka. All Rights Reserved. 2 This dissertation titled Broadcasting Change: Radio Talk Shows, Education and Women’s Empowerment in Senegal by FANTA DIAMANKA has been approved for the Department of Educational Studies and The Patton College of Education by Francis Godwyll Associate Professor of Educational Studies Renée A. Middleton Dean, The Patton College of Education 3 Abstract DIAMANKA, FANTA, Ph.D., May 2013 Curriculum and Instruction, Cultural Studies Broadcasting Change: Talk Shows, Education and Women's Empowerment Director of Dissertation: Francis Godwyll This study examined radio talk shows as a platform for Senegalese women to debate social issues and identifies new directions and alternative avenues for their lives. Radio talk show in Senegal is a dynamic, flexible, and interactive tool for communication while highlighting the way women relate to and use this medium to voice their opinions in a broader world of information and ultimately effect social change. Utilizing a hermeneutic phenomenological approach grounded in an African centered paradigm, this study uses from forty (34) in-depth interviews, three focus groups, document analysis and more than 120 hours of participant observation. Moreover, this study integrated a mix of, paradigms and approaches to provide insights into the dialogues and listening practices that women are engaged in while seeking to understand the avenues that radio talk shows provide for women’s empowerment and education in Senegal. This study found that the talk shows were a remarkable empowering and educational forum for women to negotiate, articulate and re-invent themselves. Through their interaction on the talk shows, women realized that they were more than just receivers of knowledge. Their constant quest for answers produced knowledge that fostered their humanity and led them to new meanings, which in turn became the catalyst for personal transformation and conscious actions. 4 The study further challenged the persistent and exclusive emphasis on formal education’s ability in Senegal to educate women and transform them into critical thinkers. I argue that the failure of formal education to grant a holistic transformation for women requires a diversification of solutions and perspectives from various institutions and platforms. These platforms must be willing to incorporate critical significant socio- political issues such as social inequality, imbalanced power relations, and economic inequity and gender discrimination, which are often left out in the formal education system. This study highlighted the immense potential the media offers to educate and transform Senegalese women lives and contributes to our understanding of the under- studies alternatives model of education for African women by illuminating important aspects of Senegalese women’s education and agency that have been barely studied. It calls for the expansion of models/platforms that provide holistic and relevant education to African women’s lives. 5 Dedication I dedicate this dissertation to: My Wonderful husband Seydina Ousmane Sene My Inspiring father Mamadou Diamanka My Loving mother Aissata Sow And my Lovely daughter Marieme Sene 6 Acknowledgments First of all I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Almighty Allah for giving me the strength and the opportunity to finish this project. The completion of this dissertation was made possible by the unyielding help and support of many special and caring individuals. I express my sincere gratitude to my committee members, Dr. Francis Godwyll, Dr. Johnson, Dr. Howard and Dr. Collins. Your input and guidance was priceless and irreplaceable. I want to specially acknowledge Dr. Godwyll for the incredible advisor, mentor and dissertation chair he has been throughout my entire PhD journey. Without Dr. Godwyll’s constant and consistent support, this dissertation would not exist. Your relentless feedback motivated me to continue working on this project. Your firm commitment, immense flexibility, encouragement, patience and consistent guidance made this dissertation a success. I deeply appreciate your unflinching support throughout my academic journey. To Dr. Jerry Johnson, I say a heartfelt thank you for joining my committee at a critical time. I appreciate your prompt, analytical feedbacks, insight and support. You have been an excellent committee member, and I thank you for believing in me. To Dr. Howard I am indebted to your support and guidance throughout my entire academic journey at Ohio University. Thank you your support. Merci Marabout! To Dr. Elizabeth Collins: thank you for your constant encouragement and for always being there for me when I was overwhelmed. I appreciate your engaging and thought provoking suggestions throughout my dissertation journey. Thank you for boosting my confidence, listening to me and believing in me. 7 I also want to thank the Center for African Studies at Ohio University for funding my studies. I would not have been able to complete this project without your support. Special thanks go to all the people who participated in this study. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for opening your heart, homes for me and sharing your deepest secrets. I am grateful to every single person who helped facilitate my field work in Senegal. You all made my research journey rich and valuable. I am grateful to all my friends who have edited and read multiples version of my chapters and above all provided emotional support for me throughout my academic journey. Among them: Mame Boubou Diop, Godwin Dogbey, Gerard Akindes, Tory Scott, Sonia Marcus, Amy Melnyk, Una Kim, Karen Greiner, Kakuna Kerina,Sarah Harden, Joanna Grabski, Moriah Ellenbogen and Nathan Carpenter . Your feedback and support were valuable in shaping the final product! I would like to acknowledge my sincere indebtedness and gratitude to the Parr family. You have indeed made me feel home away from home. Mom, Dad, Emily, Alicia, Mary, Tucker, Dan, and Augustine: all of you have touched me with genuine love and an incredible level of hospitality. I am forever grateful to you! My deepest appreciation goes to all my family members who have been critical in making this journey a success. To my father (Baabo) your unshakable conviction that I could achieve any dream, your everlasting support and the selfless sacrifices you made for us made this project a reality. You have had a tremendous impact and influence in the making of the woman I have become and I am forever grateful to you! To my mother (Neene), your everlasting love, support and prayers made my dream come true. You have 8 always been the source of my motivation for the pursuit of my endeavors. To my siblings Tening, Penda, Moustapha, Gagna (Ansata), Fatou, Papa(Farang), and Amath: thank you for your love, dedication, prayers and for your faith in me. Yo Allu jootnu balde mon, okka en Jam e Cellal. Ameen! Most importantly, I owe my deepest gratitude and unwavering support to my loving husband Seydina Ousmane Sene. You have remained an extremely patient, supportive, encouraging and caring companion throughout my life journey. I could have not made it without you! Words cannot express appropriately my sincere appreciation for your support, love and devotion. Thank you for making the process bearable. I am sincerely grateful from the bottom of my heart. To my lovely daughter Marieme Sene: thank you for your patience and endurance! You two truly inspired me! 9 Table of Contents Page Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 3 Dedication ........................................................................................................................... 5 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................... 6 Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ 9 List of Figures ................................................................................................................... 13 Chapter One: Setting the Stage ......................................................................................... 14 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 14 Background of the Study .............................................................................................. 19 Problem Statement ........................................................................................................ 27 Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................................... 29 Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 30 Significance of the Study .............................................................................................. 30 Delimitations and Limitations of the Study .................................................................. 32 Definition of Terms .....................................................................................................