Lamufutures
Process
How could a meaningful collaboration be developed between a local youth organisation and a university program based in Switzerland?
How could research-led pedagogy contribute to local empowerment and transformation?
Ocean as Method
Mobilising the ocean as both metaphor and material reality, this analytical lens centres the dynamism and fluidity of social processes.
Mobilising the ocean as both metaphor and material reality, this analytical lens centres the dynamism and fluidity of social processes.
Reciprocity
Striving for ways of working and outcomes that benefit all parties involved, emphasizing mutual exchange and understanding.
Striving for ways of working and outcomes that benefit all parties involved, emphasizing mutual exchange and understanding.
Positionality
Understanding how our individual and structural positions and movements shape research processes and final outcomes.
Understanding how our individual and structural positions and movements shape research processes and final outcomes.
Reciprocity
Our project aimed to create a positive impact on both the student researchers and the local community. Striving for reciprocity presented challenges in the selection of relevant research topics that would resonate with all the parties involved.
Yet our differences about research priorities is what made intensive exchange and therefore truly co-created knowledge possible.
The commitment to reciprocity also extended to ensuring the public nature of our work. Apart from research workshops, we organized a public exhibition and party at the Lamu Fort Museum during the final week of our research. We supported all our research participants to be able to participate in the event. Rather than academic presentations, we showed our films, exhibited drawings and maps, and invited local actors and musicians from the IDP community to perform. The event was open to the public and one of the films was projected on Lamu’s main square in front of the fort.
Yet our differences about research priorities is what made intensive exchange and therefore truly co-created knowledge possible.
The commitment to reciprocity also extended to ensuring the public nature of our work. Apart from research workshops, we organized a public exhibition and party at the Lamu Fort Museum during the final week of our research. We supported all our research participants to be able to participate in the event. Rather than academic presentations, we showed our films, exhibited drawings and maps, and invited local actors and musicians from the IDP community to perform. The event was open to the public and one of the films was projected on Lamu’s main square in front of the fort.
“The true significance of the final public event became evident through the reactions of our research participants. For instance, one individual approached us after the film screening, emotionally expressing gratitude for including them in the film and highlighting specific sequences they wanted to share. After viewing it, another woman, who initially sought financial support for housing, requested copies of the film to share with her family and community in other parts of Lamu County.”
Mind map of three relationships of reciprocity (Amélie Rywalski, Fiona Hager and Tanja Meier)
Public presentation of the film “Nyumbani ni Nyumbani” on Mkunguni Square in Lamu, 4 May 2023“The public presentation was fantastic
and made the community proud of us.
The locals, maybe for the first time after being asked to participate in research so many times, were presented with the research findings. We hope this will help future researchers as the community now will be more willing to be interviewed and share what they have, since they know it will be given back to them at last”
and made the community proud of us.
The locals, maybe for the first time after being asked to participate in research so many times, were presented with the research findings. We hope this will help future researchers as the community now will be more willing to be interviewed and share what they have, since they know it will be given back to them at last”
- Lamu Youth Alliance Member