RP-Department of Theatre Arts and Film Technology
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Item The aesthetics of children’s theatre: appreciating and maximizing on the psycho-social potentials for social and economic advancement(International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2011-06) Mugubi, J.Item The aesthetics of children’s theatre: Appreciating and maximizing on the psycho-social potentials for social and economic advancement(International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2011-06) Mugubi, J.Item African Representation in White Films from 1985-1997(EdinBurg, 2024) Gichuki, AtenyaThis paper analyzes the representation of African characters in white films from 1985-1997. During this period, many Hollywood films were produced that depicted African characters in various roles. However, the question arises as to whether these representations were accurate and fair or whether they perpetuated negative stereotypes of Africans. Through a qualitative content analysis of six selected films produced between 1985-1997, this paper explored the ways in which African characters were portrayed in white films. The films were selected using purposive sampling, and it used thematic analysis to get the findings. The paper used Postcolonial theory that examines how power dynamics between colonizers and colonized people influence cultural representation, including media representation. This study examined the representation of Africans in six films: "Amistad"(1997)," "A Far Off Place"(1993)," "The Power of One"(1992)," "Sarafina!"(1992)," and "Out of Africa"(1985)." and "The Power of One". The films were analyzed through a postcolonial theoretical framework to explore power dynamics and cultural representation. The findings revealed that the portrayal of Africans in these films was mostly through a lens of victimization, perpetuating stereotypes of Africans as primitive and inferior. It is based on the understanding that colonialism is not just a historical phenomenon but also has lasting effects on contemporary societies.Item Artist's Perception and Communication of the Artist’s Intended Intrinsic Value in Upcycled Artworks(AJOEI, 2024) Oluwaseun, Isaac Abati; Vikiru, George; Majale, ChristineUpcycling, an artistic practice that involves transforming waste materials into new and valuable art pieces, has gained significant attention in recent years. It not only promotes sustainability by reducing waste but also provides artists with a unique medium to express their creativity. However, understanding the artist's intended intrinsic value (AIIV) in these upcycled artworks is essential to comprehend the underlying messages and meanings embedded within them. This article aims to investigate the concept of the artist's intended intrinsic value (AIIV) in the context of upcycled artworks created from waste materials, focusing on Nigerian-selected artists. The study explores how these artists perceive and communicate the intrinsic value of the upcycled artworks, considering factors such as the quality of materials used, the artist's intended aesthetic appeal, historical narrative, durability, and the artist's intent to improve environmental sanity through upcycling. In order to achieve this, a mixed method of quantitative and qualitative research approach was used employing questionnaires, in-depth interviews, direct observations, and document analysis was utilized. The findings reveal the diverse perspectives and artistic motivations that drive Nigerian artists to upcycle waste materials into meaningful pieces of art, thereby enriching the understanding of AIIV in the field of upcycled art.Item Bridging the Gap: The Role of Social Media Support Groups in Diabetes Care and Management(Universidad Técnica de Manabí (UTM), 2024-01) Githinji, Phrashiah; Githinji, Martin K.; Kariuki, Githinji Scolastica N.Background: With the growing prevalence of diabetes in Kenya and the complex challenges of managing the disease, individuals with diabetes increasingly turn to social media (SM) support groups. This study explores how these individuals engage with SM support groups and how they verify the information shared within these platforms. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted from June-August 2022. Participants (n=15) were purposively recruited from Facebook and WhatsApp social support groups exclusively for those with diabetes. Participants included adults diagnosed with diabetes and were active members of the SM support group. Data was collected virtually through in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom. Data was transcribed, coded, and analyzed using content analysis. Results: Five themes were constructed: 1) SM support groups provide accessible and affordable health information, 2) Participants leverage support groups as an alternative to formal professional healthcare engagement, 3) Participants leverage SM support groups to learn from peer-driven experiences and strategies to enhance diabetes self-care 4) Participants value community empathy and peer support in SM support groups 5) Participants strategies of authenticating and verifying information from SM support groups. Conclusion: The study highlights the multifaceted role of SM groups in diabetes care in Kenya, suggesting the need for healthcare professionals to collaborate with these online communities. It emphasizes the necessity for accurate information verification and points to the future integration of SM groups into formal healthcare strategies.Item Changing Spectres: Interweaving Loops in Kenyan Theatre(Royallite Global, 2020) Shikuku, Emmanuel TsikhunguTheatre critics have proclaimed the death of serious theatre on the stages of Kenya, arguing that all that could be seen are slapstick comedies which cannot survive beyond stage performance. Theatre and art in general is not static; it feeds on the changing needs of humans that produce and consume it. An analysis of the different facets of Theatre in Kenya since 1960 revealed that there is indeed a weaving loop which sustains the interest in theatre, although these genres mutate with changes in socio-economic and political realities of both the producers and the consumers. Noting that there are several milestones that could be used to determine the development of theatre, it is observed that this development, far from being linear, is multidirectional and multi-generic so that theatre could grow out of oral narrative as it has been the tradition as well as comedies off-shooting from day to day life engagements. This article, however, conclusively argues that the concept of intermediality is slowly catching up in the Kenyan theatre and this has blinded many critics into thinking that theatre is dying when in actual sense it is simply fusing itself with other genres/media to come up with other forms of performance.Item Community Theatre and Development Practices in the Nyanza Region of Kenya(2015-09) Diang'a, Rachael; Kebaya, Charles; Mwai, WangariPositing Community Theatre as an agency for development and is an effective way to encourage community dialogue, this article interrogates practices and efficacies of Community Theatre in Nyanza, Kenya. While contending that it has the potential to build developmental consciousness among community members on social issues affecting them, the study argues that Community Theatre provides an interesting way to explore cultural, socio-economic and developmental realities, thereby changing the way people think, socialize and act. Based on selected Community Theatre performances in Nyanza, this article analyses the practice and efficacy of Community Theatre as a social construction that is produced, regulated and consumed within specific cultural frameworks. Anchored in qualitative research, participant observation and post-performance discussions were used in data collection. The data responses obtained were organized into thematic analysed and interpreted strands, and thus, the findings show that Community Theatre is a crucial space in communities that can increase social issue awareness, influence beliefs and attitudes, prompt action, increase utilization of and support for services, explore popular misconceptions, and strengthen community support for recommended practices. Hence, Community Theatre is a safe space where communities can explore difference, question everyday life, and say the unsayable.Item Concomitants of socio-cultural exigencies on narrative preferences in the Kenyan “Riverwood” film(Royallite Global, 2017) Mugubi, John; Maina, William MureithiIn a report commissioned by the World Story Organization in 2008, Justine Edwards points out that storyline lies at the centre of problems that Kenyan films face in trying to “break down the wall preventing Kenyan films from being shown and celebrated beyond Kenyan borders” (2). This paper goes a step further to interrogate this observation through an analysis of three works by three representative Kenyan home grown film makers: Wandahuhu’s Njohera (Forgive Me), Simon Nduti’s Kikulacho (What Bites You) and Simiyu Barasa’s Toto Millionaire. These film makers have made films under the banner of a Kenyan film industry that has come to be informally known as Riverwood—the Kenyan film industry associated with Nairobi’s River Road Street where cheaply produced independent home videos are made in mass mainly by Kenyan film makers working with a Kenyan crew and cast. By measuring their works against narrative conventions established in classical cinema, this paper evaluates Kenyan home-grown film standards as defined by the narrative choices made by the film makers. In so doing, it is essentially guided by narratological theories developed by the constructivist school of film criticism. Constructivist film theory is founded on the tenet that it is the reader (viewer) of the film text that constructs the story and meanings in the story using the clues that the film maker puts before him or her on the screen. Other relevant theoretical positions are applied as need arises to cater for the multidisciplinary nature of film as an art. The methodology used is textual analysis and interpretation, therefore qualitative in nature.Item Configuration of Kenya’s Children’s Television Drama(American Research Institute for Policy Development, 2014) Mugubi, J.Children’s film is an artistic genre in its own right with its distinctive character and utility in the society. Machachari is a local television drama that is centred on children. This episodic film, while revolving around slum children and their hustles and survival jaunts in the hard-edged lives of their surroundings, juxtaposes the ghetto children with their well-to-do friends. Just one year since this sitcom was first aired on a Kenyan Television station, Machachari recently won three awards: it was voted “Kenya’s Teenagers’ TV drama Soap of choice”. The TV drama also won “New Show Award” and one of the characters won the “Male Actor Award”. In the Kalasha awards held in September 2011, the equivalent of a Kenyan Oscar, one of the child characters, Baha, won the best actor award. In cognizance of the popularity of this sitcom and in appreciation of its palpable foregrounding of child characters, this study interrogates this very popular sitcom with a view to establishing whether the presentation of the child character with regard to behaviour patterns and theme conforms to true childhood as affirmed by three psychological theorists: cognitively, as prescribed by Jean Piaget; emotionally as outlined by Erik Erikson and lastly, whether the child characters’ conduct is the product of interactive influences, both congenital and experiential as delineated by Robert Sears. Discourse analysis is also employed to determine the communicative import of the utterances of the child characters while appraising their plausibility in illuminating particularities of children’s mental processes and personalities within their milieu.Item Corollaries of Size: Encumbrances of Childhood in West-Indian Fiction(Royallite Global, 2018) Mugubi, JohnPerhaps the child’s physical and mental sizes contribute more to the position a child is bestowed in a society. Childhood has been viewed as an epitome of weakness and infirmity of both body and soul. This has been the more reason for not holding the child in high esteem. Children have been mistreated all over the world mostly because of their physical weakness. This study is based on the premise that a literary writer has a wide range of narrative agents to choose from. Literary artists discriminate in the choice of both subject – matter and technique. When a writer thus makes a selection, it is assumed that he opts for what is best suited to articulate his vision or ideological perspectives on a multiplicity of concerns. A writer’s preference in terms of character-types should therefore never be taken for granted but rather should be perceived as a vehicle through which the writer lays bare his/her message. Marjorie Boulton (1954) asserts: “a story or essay will achieve an effect on the reader by selection of some aspects of the subject” (p.109). Characterization in Literature is therefore a deliberate enterprise aimed at achieving certain goals.Item The Creative Menopause Syndrome in Nollywood Video Films: A Lingering Deficiency(Royallite Global, 2018) Igomu, Samuel O.; Pomak, Frank TengyaThe Nigerian movie industry, otherwise popularly known as Nollywood, is arguably Africa’s largest film industry and ranked amongst the top three film industries in the world. With a prolific output of over a thousand productions annually leading to a humongous popularity, Nollywood is without a doubt a staple in many African households and beyond. Obviously, the industry has evolved over the years by leaps and bounds giving the top-notch quality of some productions in recent times. However, despite this evolutionary stride being made, the quality of majority of movies coming out of the industry have predominantly remained shaky and dreary. It is seemingly a case of moving in a circle of creative dearth with many Nollywood video films often failing to inspireany major shift in contents and narrative styles. This study, thus, looks at the creativity question as well as the lack of creative impetus which has continued to characterise and constitute a major downside of Nollywood video films. Anchored on the theory of creativity espoused byKozbelt, Beghetto and Runco, this study finds the dearth of creativity to be a serious lingering deficiency which has and or is eating deep into the fabrics of Nollywood, making the industry a subject of protracted scathing criticism and an object of universal derision. Hence, by way of conclusion and recommendation, it is imperative Nollywood filmmakers improve upon their artistry in filmmaking and not sacrifice creativity –what is significantly required to make a movie of good quality –on the altar of rushed production for quick cashItem Crises Experienced in Church Organizations: The Case of Parklands Baptist Church Nairobi Kenya(IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS), 2017-03) kuria, MartinThis study evaluated crisis preparedness in churches and focused mainly on crisis communication in Parklands Baptist Church (PBC) in Nairobi, Kenya. The study’s main objective was to find out the types of crises that have affected the church in the past 5 years. The study employed a descriptive research design. The study established that the church experiences crisis but mostly from a rare to often basis. A sizeable number of PBC congregants indicated to have observed different crises in the church. It was inferred that the church rarely communicates to inform about crises to its congregants and this would explain why most congregants in Churches held the belief that the church is rarely engulfed in crisesItem Delineation of National Healing and Conflict Resolution in Film: A Case Study of Kenya(American Research Institute for Policy Development, 2014) Mugubi, J.Wale Watu is a film by Cajetan Boy. This feature film was inspired by the post election chaos that followed the disputed 2007 elections in Kenya. The plot of Wale Watu orbits around two youths, Paul and Mercy. Coming from different, indeed, historically antagonistic ethnic communities (Mercy is a Kikuyu and Paul is a Luo), the two are in love and plan to get married. Whereas their parents have no qualms about the relationship and indeed live in harmony, the outcome of the elections marks a turning point. Chaos ensues, the two communities turn against each other. Paul’s father’s hospital is set on fire by furious Kikuyu youths, precipitating the demise of Paul’s paternal uncle, Mark, who is burnt to death inside the hospital set ablaze. Paul’s sister Safari escapes death narrowly but with severe injuries. Among the Kikuyu youths gone amok is Mercy’s brother, Robert. And when the truism that Paul’s Fiancée’s brother was one of the youths who participated in killing Paul’s uncle comes to the fore, Paul’s and Mercy’s wedding plans are thrown into disarray. Tension is palpable everywhereItem The Design of Characters in Tinga Tinga Tales: A Kenyan Animation Film(AJOEI, 2023-09) Kihima, Clinton; Shapaya, BeneahPurpose of the study: The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of character design in the Kenyan animation industry. The study specifically focused on the use of character design to convey meaning in the animation series Tinga Tinga Tales. Research methodology: The study used a qualitative methodology. The data was gathered through observation of six selected episodes of the animation series. The researcher watched the episodes and took notes on how the characters were developed using different techniques of shape and color. Findings of the study: The study found that the characters in Tinga Tinga Tales were designed to be simple and memorable. The characters were also designed to be representative of the African culture. The study found that the use of shape and color was an important way to convey meaning in the animation series. For example, the use of bright colors was used to create a sense of joy and excitement, while the use of dark colors was used to create a sense of mystery or danger. Conclusion: The study concluded that character design is an important tool for conveying meaning in animation. The study also found that the use of shape and color is an important way to create visually appealing and memorable characters.Item Effective and Health Ways of Minimizing Eruption of COVID-19(Science Publishing Group, 2020) Ndereba, Eliphus; Akuma, JamesThe phylogenetic analyses that have been done on the emergence and causative agents of the 2019 novel Coronavirus Disease have focused on the epidemiology and the identification of the specific causative agents linked to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome for Corona viruses (SARS-COV), the viral pathogen that causes SARS-COV-2 (Currently, COVID-19). The virus is associated mostly with bats’ genetic composition that’s detrimental to Human cells if in contact. Although there are readily established measures to curb the outbreak and transmission of the disease, there is much yet to be done especially in the affected African countries where most medics rely on the abroad research guidance. The world’s Medical attendants have been left with a dire need to establish the sufficiently effective and immediate measures and/ or guidelines on how to minimize the outbreak and widespread interspecies infections of SARS-COVs. Apart from the ways identified by the World Health Organization, there are several other strategies that the African countries can rely on to mitigate the outbreak of SARS-COV-2 which has always been diagnostically experienced as respiratory tract disorders: Pneumonia. Among the widely implemented measures in most nations are: quarantining the suspected victims and infected individuals, partial/total lockdowns, abolishment of (over) crowding, abolishment of bare handshakes, encouraging keeping of the social distance, use of gloves and masks, use of disinfectants on public resources and premises, using sanitizers for hand washing and banning air transport to prevent import or export of new COVID-19 infections.Item Evaluating Negative, Positive and Neutral Reporting in Newspapers in Kenya: A Case Study of Daily Nation and the Standard Newspapers(RJI, 2024-05) Kilonzo, Onesmus Musyoki; Kiilu, Tommy Kibera; Githiora, Barnabas WanyagiIn a recent study investigating the nature of reporting in Kenya, the study explored factors that affect reporting of Parliament and parliamentarians in two most popular Kenyan newspapers, namely the Daily Nation and The Standard. However, the study did not evaluate the negative, positive and neutral reporting in newspapers in Kenya, for which this study was conducted. Purpose: This study evaluated the negative, positive and neutral reporting in newspapers in Kenya: A case study of daily nation and the standard newspapers. Theoretical Foundation The study was guided by the Herman and Chomsky’s ‘Manufacturing Consent – A Propaganda Model’ theory Methodology Constructivism philosophical paradigm with mixed method approach through triangulation using structured questionnaires, face-to-face interviews and observations. Results The results showed most of the newspaper reporting on MPs during the period under study took a negative angle. Conclusion The symbiotic relationship between Parliament, the Media, and the Public is expected to endure despite occasional "clashes" between Parliament and the Media, which inevitably affect the Public. These conflicts arise when parliamentary officials perceive negative portrayal by the Media. Recommendations A similar study needs to be carried out to investigate the foregoing phenomena in both radio and television stationsItem Factors Contributing to the Onset and Continuation of Drug Abuse among Secondary School Students in Mombasa County, Kenya(International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education (IJHSSE), 2017-05) Omuyoma, Mbayi OliverAdolescence is a period of significant developmental changes associated with the onset of drug abuse worldwide. This study was set up to examine some of the factors associated with the onset and escalation of drug abuse among secondary school students in Mombasa, Kenya. It also investigated the intervention strategies used to control drug abuse among secondary school students. Stratified sampling was used to pick 120 students from secondary schools. A self-report questionnaire was used. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and presented in tabular form. The findings of this study highlighted the importance of peer and family use of drugs in predicting both the onset and continuation of abuse of drugs among the secondary school students. Majority of student respondents reported high levels of awareness of harmful effects associated with substance use. The findings of this study suggest effective health guidance can assist secondary school students make rational choices away from drugs.Item From Firesides to the Modern Lounge: A Critical Appraisal of Film and Television Fairytales in Kenya(School of Visual and Performing Arts Kenyatta University, 2013) Muigai wa Gachanja; Kebaya, CharlesVladimir Propp, in 1928, published a groundbreaking text; Morphology of the Folktale, in which he outlined and defined the characteristics and morphology of fairytales. His work not only changed the study of folklore but also made scholars to rethink the way in which stories and storytelling affect the fabric of society and its ideals. Since 1928 to the present, there have been tremendous changes in the way in which stories are told. For instance, technology has changed the way people interact and communicate with each other. In the same vein, media and film conglomerates have taken a leading role in creating and/or reconstructing folktales for their audiences. This implies that the modern lounge has replaced traditional storytelling modes as children tune in to television for filmed stories. Thus, using critical theory and already aired Know Zone 1 folk tales, this paper examines how film and television fairytales are built and in the process establishes how traditional pedagogical values of these narratives are negotiated as the tales conform to modern technology. Further, while exploring traditional narrative types and motifs as portrayed in the selected fairytales for this study, we examine how these narrative texts reflect contemporary ethnographies of fan culture and the existence of multiple versions of seemingly fixed texts. In this endeavour, the study adopts a content-based analytic approach in presenting a detailed exegesis of the modern film and television fairytales in Kenya and uses psychodynamics of orality in appreciating these emergent forms of storytelling in the contemporary society.Item The Future of Return of the African Artefacts: A Review of African Union (AU) Vision 2063 on Africa with a Strong Cultural Identity Common Heritage, Values and Ethics(EAST AFRICAN NATURE & SCIENCE ORGANIZATION, 2023-12) Ogutu, WanyamaThe successful return of African artefacts was absolutely echoed by the later Zairian President, Kukugbedu Zambanga Seseseko Mobuto, at the United Nations in New York. The parliaments' legislation, enactment of the national laws, and mutual agreement treaties in the joint International Council of Museums (ICOM) were implemented at a slow pace across Africa. The paper reviews discourse on "Africa with a Strong Cultural Identity Common Heritage, Values and Ethics" since unveiling the African Union (AU) Vision 2063 in the year 2021. It aims to unravel some issues that affect the return of African artefacts and its way forward. The paper has employed qualitative research design and historical methodologies. It has explored the desktop research framework by reviewing related literature on the restitution or return of African artefacts and formulation of the Africa Union's Vision 2063. The paper has analysed the experts' voices, reviewed related literature, and formulated government policies on the return of African art. It has randomly looked at some of the few African countries, such as the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of Kenya, among others, as examples. The paper is cognisant that the artefacts that were returned and preserved at various local sites of Kenya and African Heritage Houses such as the Murumbi Collection, Koitalel Arap Samoei Museum, and Alan Donovan House of Heritage. It applauds the candid documentation done by the African governments through social media on African culture, arts, and heritage in modern times. The paper concludes by alluding that African leaders should champion the bringing back of remaining African artefacts still held in other countries.