VIP Programme

1. Choose a VIP-team that you would like to be part of. Email the team instructor with the following information: 
   • What are you studying now?
   • In a few sentences, tell us why you have chosen this team and what you think you can contribute.
2. Write to the responsible student administrator. At the Department of Computer Science and Media Technology, that is Bodil Sterner. Ask to be registered to the VIP course that is relevant: all new students apply to the course VIP: Research Integrated Development Project. Students who have already taken the basic course, should apply to the continuing course VIP: Research Integrated Development Project, continuing course.

Website production: Empowering Queer Youth in Uganda

Contact: Professor Jakob Svensson

This VIP course is the result of a successful consolidation grant from the Swedish Institute (SI), programme Creative Force, between Malmö University and Queer Youth Uganda (QYU). This consolidation grant builds on seed funding in which a number of podcasts/sound snippets were produced by Radio Production students at MaU, based on interviews with queer youth in Uganda and now used to educate on how to stay safe when dating online.

Listen to Empowering Queer Youth in Uganda on SoundCloud

Because of the international partner (QYU), this description is written in English. A delegation from QYU will also visit Malmö autumn (late October) 2023.

In short:

Part of the SI project deals with the construction of a website for QYU. The webpage will include a digital repository of community stories and experiences as well as training modules for more active awareness raising in the queer community in Uganda (and beyond). This is the aim of this VIP-team.

Background:

Uganda is fairly unique in its state-endorsed and state-promoted homophobia. In this project, we aim to empower queer youth in Uganda (primarily) to safely share experiences and to explore their sexual and gender identities using cultural methods of "Living Libraries" and "Legislative Advocacy Theatre". A website will be constructed to collect experience and to develop training modules on issues the community itself defines as prime importance.

In countries with homophobic legislation, queer voices are most often silenced. The Ugandan media’s coverage of sexual minorities and their human rights situation ranges from ambivalent and reluctant to antagonistic and outright hostile. Sexual minorities are only rarely given space to draw attention to the community’s plights, promote human rights for all, self-define or indeed be given an opportunity to provide a first-person narrative of their concerns. This lack of inclusion and the corresponding lack of influence over mediated representations of the community has led to frequent instances of rampant negative and stereotypical portrayals and negative othering. The tabloid press is the worst in this category by outing alleged sexual minority individuals by publicizing headshots, home, and work addresses, as well as actively inciting violence by calling for their public hanging.

In the SI project, we aim to support a key community organization (QYU) in developing culturally relevant and appropriate ways to empower queer youth, raise awareness and strengthen skills that allow LGBT+ individuals to share stories, develop strategies and work together with local legal actors and policymakers.

Individual self-exploration is important here, but also psychosocial support, and mobilization around social and legal change.

What you will be working on: The Website

To support knowledge sharing, this project seeks to expand and ensure wider access to the outcomes of (including documentation) "Living Libraries" and "Legislative Advocacy Theatre through creating a multimodal website, where both text, image and sound material is stored and accessed.

To develop and design the website, Malmö University Media Tech BA students will be involved. Students will help develop, test, and design the webpage as well as train QYU members to maintain and update the website.

The website will function as an information service for individual queer youth and LGBT+ organizations in Uganda (and elsewhere). A prototype version of the website will be tested in Uganda before the final version is finalized and launched. Furthermore, as sustainability is key, resources are set aside to ensure that several Queer Youth Uganda members are trained in updating and maintaining the site. This will be on the agenda during Queer Youth Uganda’s visit to Malmö and meeting with Malmö University students.

At the end of the course (project):

• Website functionalities and security features are developed and tested
• Training of five Queer Youth Uganda staff has been conducted
• Website test-trial in Uganda has been conducted
• A bug-free website will be up and running
• This webpage will include a minimum of one training module (on digital safety)
• A minimum of four video documentation published on the website

QYU has outlined three aims with the website:

1. Visibility (that QYU will be visible – perhaps search engine optimisation).
2. Assist them in their work for LGBT+ rights
3. “Empower” queer youth in Uganda

Content:

• Information (news (text and image), calendar, report repository)
• Engage (get involved/ donate/ subscribe)

Tonality:

Rainbow

To consider:  

The role of the website in relation to QYU social media (Facebook & Twitter).