JYVÄSKYLÄ STUDIES IN EDUCATION, PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIAL RESEARCH 498 Riina Yrjölä The Global Politics of Celebrity Humanitarianism JYVÄSKYLÄ STUDIES IN EDUCATION, PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIAL RESEARCH 498 Riina Yrjölä The Global Politics of Celebrity Humanitarianism Esitetään Jyväskylän yliopiston yhteiskuntatieteellisen tiedekunnan suostumuksella julkisesti tarkastettavaksi yliopiston vanhassa juhlasalissa S212 toukokuun 24. päivänä 2014 kello 12. Academic dissertation to be publicly discussed, by permission of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Jyväskylä, in building Seminarium, auditorium S212 on May 24, 2014 at 12 o’clock noon. UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ JYVÄSKYLÄ 2014 The Global Politics of Celebrity Humanitarianism JYVÄSKYLÄ STUDIES IN EDUCATION, PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIAL RESEARCH 498 Riina Yrjölä The Global Politics of Celebrity Humanitarianism UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ JYVÄSKYLÄ 2014 Editors Jussi Kotkavirta Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of Jyväskylä Pekka Olsbo, Ville Korkiakangas Publishing Unit, University Library of Jyväskylä URN:ISBN:978-951-39-5691-2 ISBN 978-951-39-5691-2 (PDF) ISBN 978-951-39-5690-5 (nid.) ISSN 0075-4625 Copyright © 2014, by University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylä University Printing House, Jyväskylä 2014 ABSTRACT Yrjölä, Riina The Global Politics of Celebrity Humanitarianism Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä, 2014, 161 p. (Jyväskylä Studies in Education, Psychology and Social Research, ISSN 0075-4625; 498) ISBN 978-951-39-5690-5 (nid.) ISBN 978-951-39-5691-2 (PDF) This thesis is a critical examination of discourses surrounding Bob Geldof’s and Bono’s humanitarian action in Africa. Rather than examining whether or not this celebrity humanitarian activity is instrumental or detrimental to African development, the purpose of this study is to bring into fore how the contemporary celebrity humanitarian intelligibilities and imaginaries are premised upon a violent colonial impulses that limit, distribute and govern African space, bodies and history with overdetermining constitution of identity/difference. To inaugurate this critical methodological and theoretical framework that historicizes and politicizes celebrity humanitarianism discourses, I turn towards Michel Foucault’s and Frantz Fanon’s writings on violence/representation and freedom/thought. First, engaging with Foucault’s formulations of critique as a historical method of inquiry, outlined both in his archaeological and genealogical analysis, representations and discourses are identified as complex spatiotemporal technologies of normalization, intervention and governance. And second, by exploring Fanon’s conceptualization of colonialism as pure violence that operates through monopolized and universalized Western humanity, post/colonialism is addressed as intelligibility that conditions and effects overdetermined difference at the level of African subjectivity and reality. The work argues that Bono’s and Bob Geldof’s humanitarian agency and subjectivity is underpinned with particular reproduction of Westerner’s racial superiority - capacity and ability to master themselves and others. This negotia- tion of identity culminates in the cementation of celebrities and “Africa” into assumed spaces and subject positions in the world politics. In these humanitari- an imaginaries “Africa” emerges at the same time as a place of Hell where the humanitarian values that underpin the progressive and modern liberal societies are not applied, as well as Westerners’ naturalized Home, constituted with nos- talgic discourses of shared “pastness” and harmony. The work offers the first empirically grounded analysis to the celebrity humanitarian representations in Africa. Furthermore by revealing how celebrity humanitarian representations are underpinned with the violently overdeter- mining colonial intelligibility and imaginary, it presents sustained critique that calls to question the emancipatory potential of this activity. Keywords: celebrity, humanitarianism, Africa, colonialism, discourses Author’s address Riina Yrjölä Vuorimiehenkatu 7B 16 00140 Helsinki, Finland Supervisors Professor Liisa Laakso Faculty of Social Sciences P.O. Box 54 (Unioninkatu 37) 00140 University of Helsinki Docent Kia Lindroos Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy P.O. Box 35 (Ylistönmäentie 33) 40014 University of Jyväskyla Reviewers PhD, Programme Director Mika Aaltola The Finnish Institute of International Affairs P.O. Box 400 (Kruunuvuorenkatu 4) 00160 Helsinki, Finland Professor Emerita Ullamaija Kivikuru Swedish School of Social Science P.O. Box 16 (Snellmaninkatu 12) 00014 University of Helsinki Opponents PhD, Senior Lecturer Matt Davies Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU United Kingdom. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost I wish to thank my supervisors, Professor Liisa Laakso and Docent Kia Lindroos for tirelessly supporting me throughout my research. I am indebted to you on your encouragement and faith in me. Thank you for your inspiration. Your criticism. Your professionalism and friendship. Without your unlimited dedication and patience, I would not be writing these words down today. Mika Aaltola and Ulla-Maija Kivikuru acted as pre-examiners for this dissertation. I am profoundly grateful to you for your incisive observations and valuable comments that enabled me to improve the quality and coherence of this dissertation. For Jemima Repo and Saara Särmä, I do not have enough words to describe my thankfulness. Throughout the years, you have read and commented my papers, chapters and one-liners countless times. Although I have been living in London and Hong Kong while writing this dissertation, you have always been there for me. Ready to listen to my sorrows. Encouraging me when I have wanted to give up. We have laughed, and cried. Shared our joys and pains. The best thing this dissertation brought to my life is your wonderful friendship. You two are great. Please do no ever change. Viva Viagra! Beyond Real! I am thankful for the Politics and the Arts research team in the Centre of Excellence in Political Thought and Conceptual Change: Matti Hyvärinen, Peggy Heller, Frank Möller, Kia Lindroos, Olivia Guaraldo, Tommi Kotonen Tuija Lattunen and Anitta Kananen. I also want to extend my warmest thanks to brilliant and inspiring colleagues: Julian Reid, Barry Richards, Darren Lilleker, Marjaana Jauhola, Tiina Seppälä, Juha Käpylä, Hanna Kuusela, Paul- Erik Korvela, Noora Kotilainen, Anni Kangas and Emilia Palonen, whose intellectual support, encouragement and inspiration has been truly special to me. For the financial support I wish to thank the generosity of the University of Jyväskylä, Helsingin Sanomat Foundation, The National Graduate School of Political Studies (POLITU) and the Academy of Finland Centre of Excellence in Political Thought and Conceptual Change. Without their support this thesis would not been possible. My sincere wish is that also the future PhD students engaged in critical research will be also supported as generously than I have been during my studies. Outside academia, Mari Salmela and Andreas Heimsch, Siru and Joakim Heino, Richard Efford, Chiara Levrini and Doriano Chiarparin, Jarkko Nik- kanen, Tuula and Ville Aer, Timo and Alla Turunen, Susanna Idman, John Barger and Tiina Rosenqvist, Iida and Hulda have nurtured me with their kindness. I am ever grateful for your unconditional friendship that has provid- ed me a shelter, comfort, wisdom and support. I am the luckiest person in this World to have you all in my life. Finally, I want to thank my wonderful husband, Jyrki Rauhio and my parents, Tuula and Erkki Yrjölä. Jyrki, you have always believed in me, no matter what. Thank you for your unfailing support, love and grounding trust. Words are not enough to express how I feel. And mom and dad - I could not have more wonderful parents than you two. Throughout my life you have been supportive on everything that I have wanted to do. You taught me to believe in myself, to dream big and live fully. Is there more one can ask in life? With great love and gratitude, this book is dedicated to my family and my 100 year-old grandmother, Sylvi Elisabeth Mäkinen. Thank you mamma of everything. I wish one day I could to be as wise, curious, tolerant, patient, loving and forgiving as you are. Hongkongissa, 20.4.2014 Riina Yrjölä CONTENTS ABSTRACT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 9 1.1 Postcolonialism, Poststructuralism, Celebrity ...................................... 13 1.2 Critique as Method ................................................................................... 15 1.3 Foucault and Fanon: Conceptualizations and Analytics .................... 18 1.4 Outline of the Thesis ................................................................................ 21 2 ADDRESSING AND RESISTING THE PREVIOUS INSIGHTS ON CELEBRITY HUMANITARIANISM ............................................................... 26 2.1 Celebrities as Politicians, Diplomats and Humanitarians .................. 26 2.2 Rethinking Humanitarianism, Culture and Global Governance ....... 32 2.3 Interruptions: Encountering Celebrity Subjectivity and Agency Politically and Historically ...................................................................... 35 2.4 Conclusions ............................................................................................... 40 3 VIOLENCE AND FREEDOM IN MICHEL FOUCAULT’S