| In this dissertation I examine the ways in which people living in Dakar, Senegal use, display, collect and encounter photographs and media derived images in the course of their daily activities. In particular, I suggest how this expressive behavior reflects and responds to both the social cohesion (real or imagined) of the village, and the social fragmentation of the city. I also suggest how people use these materials to formulate and express identities and world views, manage social and economic relationships, make aesthetic statements, and balance the limitations of daily life against the images of fantastic abundance generated and delivered through the global media and marketplace.;The dissertation begins by examining the way photography was first used in Senegal as a documentary instrument of the French colonial administration, only to be appropriated and reworked by Africans into a means of personal and social empowerment. This evolution involved changes in the employment of the technology, and shifting power relations in the process of cultural and personal representation. The dissertation then examines the role of personal photographs in the lives of contemporary Dakarois, suggesting how they contribute to experiences and feelings of connection between groups and individuals. The discussion then turns to the use of photographs and other images in constructing and communicating identity and world view, in allowing and encouraging individuals to engage in social commentary, and in mediating social and economic relationships. This section suggests that the use of images from global media reflects, draws upon and combats the social and psychological pressures of urban life. Finally, the discussion examines the role of images in broader strategies of psychological and economic empowerment, suggesting how images can serve as sources of strength and inspiration, while simultaneously functioning as ambiguating devises, allowing individuals the maneuverability demanded by city life in contemporary West Africa. |
