Readings for discussion:
WEB Dubois (1898) The Study of the Negro Problems.
Shivji, Issa. (2005). The Silences in NGO discourse.
In the class of 6th September, we mentioned that the process of identifying problems for research is just as important as doing research, and that problems should be strongly informed by the context of the people or of the researcher. Yet in situations of social inequality, researchers often equate the people who face the hugest problems to the problems to be researched, instead of carrying out research to address the problems the people face.
In continuing with Dubois's thought, we discuss with his seminal work "The Study of the Negro problems." Once again Dubois laments that research has ignored black Americans, and calls for a meticulous, scientific study of the problems black Americans face. What is the goal of research in Kenya? What is yours as a PhD student?
The other aspect of research that doesn't get much attention in Kenya is theory. We have already discussed Mamdani's observation that the corporatization of higher education had turned PhD holders into doers who act without thinking. Is this ignorance of theory deliberate or not? That is what Shivji addresses in his article The Silences of NGO discourse.
If you can, please relate your questions or comments to the happenings last week: Sonko's outburst on Caroline Mutoko's show, and Kidero's slapping of Shebesh.
Remember to post your comments and questions by Thursday 7pm.
Lecture Comment for 6th September 2013
ReplyDeleteI am completely sold out to teaching in higher education as 2 things:
a) Teaching as informed engagement with students
b) Driven by passion for the subject and the trade to pass it on
I have taken time this week to think about what my PhD is all about, and it still comes down to the desire to influence my students thinking towards, and learning what is, acceptable to society. This cannot happen if I am not driven by a desire to know and find out truths related to my subject area for the good of my students and consequently, society. Knowing is about the systematic search for truth. Truth does not and cannot change. It lays bare for all to see. Truth is absolute, and this is what research presents and contributes to. Even if findings change to reflect changing times and various other dynamics, they will still reflect the truth of the time in question.
I think ‘research’ in Kenya, unfortunately, is more about faith, subjectivity, and opinion. It has been marked by getting desired or expected findings which are dependent on who pays the piper. Research proposals are skewed and findings are doctored. This greatly undermines the sacredness of research and denies it a place on the high table. But perhaps more sadly, it creates a sense of distrust even in the few credible studies carried out, because they do not quite say what is expected. It confuses the very society it should benefit.
While the Kidero and Shebesh saga is not a work of research in itself, it is a reflection of the society we live in. It is a society that can take something sacred, in this case leadership, and turn it around to a curse. This saga and all around it exemplifies my confusion. When news of the slap went viral, I thought of how despicable the act was. I still think it is despicable to slap anyone- man or woman. But then again, Kidero went public to declare that he was indecently touched, provoking in him the desire to defend himself. Then came the shouts of impeachment and resignation against Kidero. Then came in different perspectives of political parties, and feminist groups, and maendeleo ya wanaume, and animated videos with exaggerated sound and personal political interest commentaries. It is difficult to trust, especially in the absence of truly trustworthy explicit evidence.
Research cannot be clouded, as the Kidero and Shebesh saga is, even though there be various subjects involved. The process of coming to a conclusion should be facilitated by clear methods and evidence, that even if questioned, leave no doubt as to the accuracy of findings.
Perhaps the Carol and Sonko case ought to be a better reflection of research as made of clear evidence. In this case, a clear verbal exchange, which can be undeniably produced and used as evidence in court of law.
It would however make for good research to investigate if there is a growing feeling of inferiority of the Kenyan man, one that is becoming evident every day, and one that the Kenyan man is fighting through the best way he knows- physical and verbal abuse.
I like your idea about research being sacred. What is the importance of valuing research, to both academics and society at large? It's good you relate that issue to the quality of the Mutoko-Sonko "discussion." We have politicians who want to talk off the top of their heads without basing what they say on knowledge or evidence. What can academics do to turn this situation around?
DeleteI think the purpose of research is to solve social problems ( I hope that my PhD Dissertation will state, explore and point out issues that will make the society a better place). In interacting with the readings, I realize that research has theory as its pointer - a fulcrum that directs and self reflects on the happenings in science or in society (the laboratory for the social scientist). Theory helps a researcher examine his/her course and in any case, unexamined research is not worth undertaking.
ReplyDeleteIf the operations(or practices) of NGOs is to point out social problems (as the ones Du Bois point out among the Negros) then they have to operate within theory. If this is not the case, why do NGOs exist? Why should be uphold the practitioners in this field? When Carol Mutuko asks questions that are aligned towards social problems and philanthropy on what basis would Senator Sonko slum her?
When Shivji talks of the characteristics of NGO - I noticed that their formation is informed of a philosophy or basic assumptions. Today, Kenya has a number of personalities who were NGO yesteryear practitioners who now serve in Government. What explains this paradigm shift and could this explain why some practices now appear in the core government as the confrontation between Hon. Rachel Shebesh and Governor Evans Kidero?
Which brings back your question of what happens when people go from the NGO world into politics. Maybe the lack of theory in the NGO world is what accounts for the poor performance by activists once they join politics?
Delete'Being then in a period of observation and comparison, we must confess to ourselves that the sociologists of few nations have so good an opportunity for observing the growth and evolution of society as those of Kenya. The rapid rise of a young country, the vast social changes, the wonderful economic development, the bold political experiments, and the contact of varying moral standards – all these make for Kenyan students crucial tests of social action, microcosmic reproductions of long centuries of world history, and rapid - even violent- repetitions of great social problems.
ReplyDeleteHere is a field for the sociologist - a field rich, but little worked, and full of great possibilities.' W.E.B Dubois (1898)
Du Bois elucidates the great possibilities of research that are prevalent in the United States of America at the turn of the century, in my opinion these equate to what we are experiencing in Kenya right now. He concludes this paragraph with the words, “a field rich, but little worked, and full of great possibilities”
Why is it that this rich field only tickles the fancy of social scientists from other, especially first world countries? Recently, massive deposits of oil and water have been discovered in Turkana county, a country that has lived all its known life in abject poverty relying on well wishers for relief food. Is the Academic field in Kenya a massive deposit that we have sat on and sought help from other countries not knowing how much wealth we have?
That's a great observation. In fact, the late discovery of those resources is a symbol of how Kenyans in the north have been neglected. The central government blamed the lack of infrastructure and development on their "culture," and distance from Nairobi. Yet if we had been a proper Nation, where the plight of every Kenyan matters, we would have told ourselves that their living conditions were unacceptable and have committed ourselves to find solutions and discovered those resources earlier. Great things begin to happen when we decide there's a distinction between people and the problems they face.
DeleteSeveral statements made by Du Bois in his work titled “Study of the Negro Problems” caught my attention. He argues that if we would solve a problem we must study it unless we are cowards. Du Bois goes on to describe a coward as “the one who dare not know”. The aim of science as the discovery of truth should therefore motivate every PhD student to set aside biases and give way to systematic scientific inquiry into problems that continue to bedevil society. This is why Du Bois argues that a social problem cannot be studied if there are people keen on refusing the truth from being known. In research we must let truth unravel based on a systematic study rather than insist of some preconceived “truth.” Studies must be based on a thorough knowledge of details, be devoid of biases and must be critical, constantly questioning things rather than accepting them at face value.Moreover, generalizations must be warranted and not merely based on inference from data obtained from a single non-representative segment of society.
ReplyDeleteHis statement that “We are prone at sneering at the heroism of the laboratory and cheering the swagger of the street broil,” reminded me of the foray of opinions and comments on regular and social media about the Shebesh-Kidero brawl and the Sonko- Mutoko altercation, without giving much thought to some of the comments they make. Since a social problem “is a relation between conditions and action”, the behavior being exhibited by our leaders requires in depth scrutiny before generalizations can be made.
Just like Issay Issa Shivji argues that a clear characterization of the current historical moment is required in order to appreciate the role of NGOs in Africa, we need to characterize every problem we plan to study.
Well said! I think what irritates me most about public reactions to the events is the limited knowledge and unprincipled discussion of the issue. I wonder how we academics who study can use our knowledge to inform public discussions of both events. And like you say, we need to study why there's a discrepancy between the civilized politics Kenyans crave for, and the shenanigans that we saw last week.
DeleteDoes theory matter?
ReplyDeleteAs Santayana (1905) put it, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Shivji, in ‘The silences in the NGO discourse’, gives a new insight as to how far we should trace the African problem. Modern history has veiled our faces with colonial history only in the 20th century, hence blinding Africans to narrow myopic explanations as to the genesis of the issues that plague this continent. Yet if we do not dig deep and unearth the last several centuries and understand how Africa got to where it is, then we are doomed to repeat these very things, albeit in a modern way.
Does theory matter? Isaiah the prophet couldn’t have put it better, “Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge; their honored men go hungry, and their multitude is parched with thirst.” (Isaiah 5:13) Theory is invaluable; Africa keeps going back into captivity as the forces of imperialism mutate and come back in different guises. The lack of research, the lack of critical thinking, the lack of questioning of history and the state of things in general, keeps Africa limited to mediocre or no knowledge at all.
This phenomenon has been rearing its head in the Kenyan elections since independence. It has made elections even more poralising with the equation of elections to a game establishing ethnic superiority. Du Bois (1898) puts it as thus, “If, for instance, a government founded on universal manhood suffrage has a portion of its population so ignorant as to be unable to vote intelligently, such ignorance becomes a menacing social problem” and no where else is this lack of intelligence better mirrored than in Nairobi county. The happenings of last week where the top three county leaders where engaged in altercations of the most primitive manner reflects a lot on the type of choices that citizens make. The fact that the election campaigns made were highly based on tribe and political affiliations rather than leadership qualities and integrity of the candidates gives a grim picture of how much good knowledge is taken as a luxury. The fact that the leaders themselves do not see any dishonour in their actions is a reflection of the country’s perspective on matters. If we are to carry out a paradigm shift in how things are done in this country then we have to start advocating for critical thinking on all matters, scientific enquiry of the same and the efficient and effective dissemination of research findings.
If we ignore theory, critical thinking and research, we will have ourselves to blame if the future remains dim for Africa.