"This MA thesis explores the emergence of new citizenship practices among youth participating in two school-based media collectives in areas of Colombia marked by violence and conflict. I draw from Rodriguez’s (2001, 2011) citizens’ media theory, which highlights the role of performance in commu ... nication processes as a mechanism for social change, to study media products created by youth participating in two school-based communication groups, one in the city of Tumaco and one in the city of Pasto. These two groups are part of the Paco project, an initiative of Aprendiendo Crecemos, a Canadian-funded education program operated by Save the Children International and the Norwegian Refugee Council in the Nariño department of Colombia, an area facing high levels of violence and internal displacement. These media collectives are spaces where youth produce different forms of media, such as television, radio, and press, on topics related to children’s rights and local issues. In this context, this MA thesis explores the ways in which youth use these media production opportunities to negotiate, perform, and learn their roles as citizens whose voices matter and whose political actions can lead to social change. I argue that youth participation in these media collectives contributes to the internalization of understandings of citizenship based on pluralism, dialogue, and relationships with public institutions based on accountability and transparency." (Abstract) more

"Sierra Leone‘s brutal civil war devastated the country‘s population and left its infrastructure in disarray. Over the last decade, international organizations have provided financial and technical assistance to many areas of society, including journalists and the media. Media assistance program ... s, or MAPs, are designed to promote democratization and development by fostering a free and independent press. This free press – also known as the fourth estate – is intended to disseminate accurate and unbiased information upon which citizens can base informed choices in their personal and political lives. In this thesis, it is first argued that current underlying political and socio-economic conditions in Sierra Leone prevent the emergence of a true fourth estate, despite the efforts of MAPs. Secondly, it is argued that MAPs could have a greater impact through a more holistic approach to media assistance, engaging in institution-building to target the root causes of Sierra Leone‘s biased and politicized media landscape." (Abstract) more