Workshop with Popular Artistes-Coming Soon!

Upcoming-Reflection Workshop with Popular Artistes

Popular musicians are powerful conveyors of ideas and in constituting popular culture. The lyrics of songs are repeated in everyday discourse and find their way into explanations on women's intrinsic "nature" and pronouncements on how gender relations should occur, often even justifying the unjust treatment of women. For example, Ghanaian highlife songs often portray women as scheming, greedy, and untrustworthy, but also as great mothers and faithful lovers.

Very little work has been done to examine gendered images in popular culture. One of the projects of the West Africa RPC hub explores the ways in which women are represented in different music genres, and by different artistes since the 1950s. We examine the main themes about women in the song lyrics, both explicit and implicit, focusing on narratives of women's bodies and their roles as workers, providers, caregivers, lovers. The project also seeks to encourage these popular artistes to be more reflexive in their conceptions of women, to write alternative lyrics, and hence to seek new ways of representing women that challenge negative stereotypes and that women might find empowering. This we will do through two specific activities – an artistes' reflection workshop, and subsequently, a song competition in which songs will be judged for content (lyrics and their arrangement) as well as rhythm and melody.

The reflection workshop takes place in July 2008 and will bring together:

- Popular musicians;

- members of the Association of Musicians,

- The media especially journalists for entertainment pages,

- hosts of TV and radio music programmes;

- DJs;

- and possibly a few 'Consumers' of music products, especially young people and those in professions that allow for a great deal of music listening in the course of their work – such as public transport drivers and domestic workers.

The workshop format will include listening to music, reflecting on song texts, and conversations around possible alternative texts. RPC members will share from some of our on-going textual analyses of song lyrics.

Prof. Akosua A. Ampofo

Dr. Awo Asiedu

WE RPC-Ghana Photo Competition-Submission Rules

Revised and Updated Photo Competition Brief

changing images of women in ghana

WE RPC is an international research consortium, which brings together academics, activists and practitioners working to advance women locally, regionally and through global policy processes. The consortium brings into partnership 5 research institutions of excellence in policy, advocacy and applied feminist research on women’s empowerment. Each centre is a focal point for regional networking, research and dialogue, bringing together researchers, activists, policy makers and practitioner partners from across the region, and, working in close association with UNIFEM to contribute their experiences and create opportunities for action research regionally and internationally.

Explaining the theme

Changing images of Women in Ghana will confront existing myths and stereotypes of women. The photographs for this competition can be entered in 4 different categories. Each applicant can enter a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 6 photographs in each category. The sub-themes are:

1. Women’s empowerment,

(2) Work,

(3) Sexuality,

and

(4) Building constituencies for equality & justice.

Time Lines

Contestants’ Briefing meeting Friday, 20^th June, 2008

Deadline for Submitting Photo Entries Friday, 15^th August, 2008

Announcement of Winners Monday, 15^th September, 2008 on www.pathwaysghana.blogspot.com

Prize

The first prize is a Canon 400D digital camera. However, all short listed and winning images will be exhibited locally and possibly internationally. The proceeds of any images that might be sold will go to the individual artist. The RPC will always credit the individual photographer, and the full copyright remains with the photographer; however, the RPC will retain the right to use the images to enhance the conception of women in Ghana and to provoke discussion.

SUBMISSION RULES:

Please remember all images must be documentary/reportage photography!

DIGITAL (Highly Recommended):

1. When taking the image always shoot on highest quality JPEG, TIFF or ideally RAW file formats. Never shoot on low quality JPEG! If you shoot on low quality we will not be able to print them to exhibition size.
2. Save the images you select for the competition as high resolution JPEG or as TIFFs. Please make a word document with your name and contact details and caption for each image, indicating the category/sub-theme the image belongs to. The caption should give details of the person you and/or your reason for shooting that image.
3. Burn the images and word document onto a CD and deliver to the Programme Administrator.
4. Remember also to write your name and contact details on the CD!
5. After the end of the competition you are free to pick up your CD after 22^nd September, 2008.

FILM:

1. Enter large prints into the competition; please give each one a number.
2. Please include a written document with your name and contact details and caption for each image. The caption should give details of the person you shot, and/or your reason for shooting that image.
3. Put the prints and text document in an envelope and deliver to the Programme Administrator.
4. After the end of the competition you are free to pick up your prints after 22^nd September, 2008.

Submit Entries to:

The Programme Administrator

WE RPC-Ghana Hub

Institute of African Studies

University of Ghana

Legon

For further information:

E-mail: pathways.westafrica@gmail.com (ATTN: Photo Competition)

Website: www.pathways-of-empowerment.org

Blog: www.pathwaysghana.blogspot.com

Pray the Devil Back to Hell

Pray the Devil Back to Hell is a 72-minute, documentary feature featuring Liberian women's relentless pursuit of peace in Liberia after the notorious dictator, Charles Taylor was elected President in 1996.

Click on the following links to view sites about the movie:

Pray the Devil Back to Hell
Tribeca Film

People at the WE RPC Ghana Photography Workshop

Above are people who were at the WE RPC Photography/Video Workshop. Pictures of our work will be up soon!