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HOW can WE picture YOU? - Encoding and decoding ‘African women’ in fundraising campaigns

Böhnke, Judith LU (2012) MIDM71 20121
LUMID International Master programme in applied International Development and Management
Abstract
Visual discourses on ‘African women’ in the fundraising campaigns of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) hold the potential for stereotype creation. Previous research has shown that Africans are often portrayed with deficiencies (e.g. lack of water, education and productivity). By using Stuarts Hall´s theory of encoding and decoding, which highlights the active role of the audience in interpreting media discourses, a more nuanced analysis of visual communication via NGO fundraising is made. Designed as a case study, it seeks to understand how two different groups of women, namely Southern African and German women interpret three campaigns. The thesis generates a clearer understanding of the role of fundraising campaigns in intercultural... (More)
Visual discourses on ‘African women’ in the fundraising campaigns of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) hold the potential for stereotype creation. Previous research has shown that Africans are often portrayed with deficiencies (e.g. lack of water, education and productivity). By using Stuarts Hall´s theory of encoding and decoding, which highlights the active role of the audience in interpreting media discourses, a more nuanced analysis of visual communication via NGO fundraising is made. Designed as a case study, it seeks to understand how two different groups of women, namely Southern African and German women interpret three campaigns. The thesis generates a clearer understanding of the role of fundraising campaigns in intercultural communication and the interpretive power of the audience. It shows that there is a reciprocal relationship between NGO and audience, which shapes how Africans are presented and calls, in this regard, for a rethinking of NGO practices. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Böhnke, Judith LU
supervisor
organization
course
MIDM71 20121
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Intercultural communication, Women, Africa, NGOs, Advertisement
language
English
id
2544172
date added to LUP
2012-07-02 15:40:57
date last changed
2012-07-02 15:40:57
@misc{2544172,
  abstract     = {{Visual discourses on ‘African women’ in the fundraising campaigns of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) hold the potential for stereotype creation. Previous research has shown that Africans are often portrayed with deficiencies (e.g. lack of water, education and productivity). By using Stuarts Hall´s theory of encoding and decoding, which highlights the active role of the audience in interpreting media discourses, a more nuanced analysis of visual communication via NGO fundraising is made. Designed as a case study, it seeks to understand how two different groups of women, namely Southern African and German women interpret three campaigns. The thesis generates a clearer understanding of the role of fundraising campaigns in intercultural communication and the interpretive power of the audience. It shows that there is a reciprocal relationship between NGO and audience, which shapes how Africans are presented and calls, in this regard, for a rethinking of NGO practices.}},
  author       = {{Böhnke, Judith}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{HOW can WE picture YOU? - Encoding and decoding ‘African women’ in fundraising campaigns}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}