Whose Crisis? COVID-19 Explored through Arts and Cultural Practices of African Communities

Mia Perry,Richard Kagolobya,Rebecca Nthogo Lekoko,Bosco Exson Chinkonda,George Olusola Ajibade,Dane Mathendele Armstrong

doi:10.5334/johd.52

Abstract

The “Whose Crisis?” project is in response to a continually evolving global health pandemic, COVID-19. In this context, the dominant discourses have been generated in the Global North, overwhelmingly by a minority of wealthy and powerful authors, reflecting narrowly on a crisis that, while impacting the whole world, is experienced in vastly different ways. This article frames and contextualises data from this project through an introduction to the background, contexts, and methods of a project designed to reflect the lived experiences of, perspectives on, and responses to COVID-19 in vulnerable communities across sub-Saharan Africa. The project has been carried out by a large team of collaborators who prioritise the lived experiences, customs, and needs of the communities engaged through a culturally responsive and arts-based research approach. The article points to the methodological implications of arts-based research to explore plural perspectives in participatory ways, and the socio-political possibilities of amplifying the voices of under-represented and under-served communities in Africa, in terms of global health in a pandemic context.

Highlights

This article provides the background and contexts of the “Whose Crisis?” project and provides information about accessing the open access data that has resulted from it
We aim to explore how artsbased and participatory research methods can be used in situated ways to reveal marginalised perspectives about the pandemic
Historical and present-day public health issues and pandemics, such as Ebola, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, have influenced the progress and cohesion of much of sub-Saharan Africa (Osseni, 2020). These issues are ongoing in many places. This means that the continent is already ‘weakened’ and susceptible to further health issues, but on the other, it means that the continent is logistically and mentally experienced and prepared for such events

Summary

Introduction

This article provides the background and contexts of the “Whose Crisis?” project and provides information about accessing the open access data that has resulted from it. Engaged arts describe the broad scope of arts and creative practices that are intended to have social impact and effect change This includes but extends the long history of theatre for development practice that has been established in Africa over the past 60 years (Mda, 1983), incorporating performance, radio drama, and participatory theatre models. As a large group of like-minded researchers and peers, we came together to consider the best ways to support our Network Hubs (country-based network groups) and our partner communities To this end, the “Whose Crisis?” project was conceived and co-designed through virtual meetings and workshops, building from existing areas of expertise and knowledge of best practice

Objectives

Methods

Results