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Kenyan Photographer Challenges Duke Students on a New Ethics of Activism

boniface with students

Boniface Mwangi, a Kenyan photographer and activist, talks Thursday to Duke students about his work documenting post-election violence in Kenya. Mwangi's work is on exhibit during his three-day residency, which ends today, in the Jameson Gallery in the Friedl Building on East Campus.  The students were from a combined international comparative studies capstone seminar and a documentary studies photography and sociology class.

Mwangi's photographs defined Western news media’s representations of the 2007 Kenyan general elections. Mwangi founded Picha Mtaani, a street exhibition that showcased his post-election violence photographs and used images to help Kenyans to reflect on the national tragedy, engage in dialogue, seek counseling and plan for next steps and community action. He also runs PAWA254 9, a social enterprise and collaborative space for creative youth to make a social impact through the visual arts.

During his campus visit he is meeting with faculty and students in discussions about a new ethics of humanitarianism and global activism. Duke filmmakers are documenting his visit as he engages with Duke Students and others interested in exploring new ways of civic engagement in the world.

He is the subject of a documentary film co-produced by Kathryn Mathers and Cassandra Herrman called FRAMED, which examines the potential for change in Africa and engages with young Americans about how they can contribute to this process.

His visit is funded by the Duke Africa Initiative and hosted by the International Comparative Studies Program with the support of DukeAfrica.

Below, two photos of the 2007 Kenyan election taken by Boniface Mwangi. Photo above taken by Jared Lazarus/Duke University Photography

kenyan election

kenyan election