• Friday, March 29, 2024
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‘Africa No Filter’ inaugurates fellowship to improve Africa’s narratives

Africa No Filter’s Academic Fellows program

The Africa No Filter has launched an emerging scholars fellowship program for African academics as part of a broader research agenda to make its work on shifting African narratives evidence-based.

The program is aimed at a better understanding of prevailing stories and resulting narratives within, and about Africa.

The research, co-funded by Facebook, will be conducted across mainstream media, social media, popular culture, the arts, donor publications, and educational materials.

The fellows will produce rigorous data that explores how Africans see themselves by tracking the platforms where Africans are engaging.

Also, scholars will have access to training, networking opportunities and mentorship. Each scholar will be awarded up to $7000 to conduct their research.

The Fellowship program will be guided by five academic advisors including Johanna Blakley, the managing director at the Norman Lear Center, based at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Sean Jacobs, the associate professor of international affairs at the Julien J. Studley Graduate Programs in International Affairs at The New School and founder and editor of Africa is a Country; Winston Mano, a reader at the University of Westminster, UK, and member of the Communication Research Institute’s Global Media Research Network; Lusike Mukhongo a visiting assistant professor of communication and digital media at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and Rebecca Pointer, a research consultant for Africa No Filter are on the team.

Priority will be given to African scholars from African countries or from the diaspora; and emerging scholars, defined as those currently undertaking a PhD or a Post-doc, or those who have been in junior academic posts for less than three years, according to a statement by the organisers.

In addition, applicants are expected to be based at a recognized academic institute while applications must be submitted by Friday 13 November 2020.