The Cultural Politics of Dirt in Africa, 1880 - present

Project Information

DIRTPOL

Grant agreement ID: 323343

Project closed

Start date 1 September 2013

End date 31 August 2018

Funded under

• Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Total cost

€ 2 209 800,00

EU contribution

€ 2 209 800,00

Coordinated by

THE UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX
United Kingdom

Final Report Summary - DIRTPOL (The Cultural Politics of Dirt in Africa, 1880 - present)

This project asked about the implications of local understandings of dirt in Nairobi and Lagos for current debates about urbanisation, the environment, sexuality and ethnicity. In examining the concept of dirt from the period of early colonialism in the 1880s through to the present day, the project positioned contemporary popular media and public health debates in relation to the two cities’ long history of intercultural encounters with the West and with other parts of the world. The aim was to historically contextualise wider policy issues relating to public health, urbanisation and community relations in African cities, as well as to position policy issues in relation to the media and cultural studies.

The achievements of the project include:
a. PI publications (3 forthcoming publications, 2 proposed publications, 1 forthcoming workshop, and a monograph due for submission in 2017)
b. Project website and blog (http://www.sussex.ac.uk/dirtpol/)
c. Original data and media database for release on open access after screening for ethical and copyright considerations;
d. YouTube contributions by Project Researchers describing their work on the “Dirtpol” project:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REdCmyD5Yws https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXPLsyMB_R8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rwtyy9gIxEI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa8ixy8G4iI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbBf8njMrNE