Episode 14: Poverty Porn 2.0
The colonial relationships and attitudes can clearly be recognised in the communications of international aid organisations. Like during the colonial times on 'expedition' to hike in Nepal. Cycle in Tanzania. Showing white saviourism when celebrities and ambassadors are visiting projects abroad emphasizing the suffering 'other'. Simulating misery of non-West countries by locking yourself up in a cage, painting faces of celebrities as if they have Ebola or organizing a sleap over party for children to simulate a night in a slum, with an actual giraffe.We all know these modern day campaigns. What do they have in common? The portrayal of the donor, ambassador, participant or traveller as a helper is central to all these problematic genres. They are always placed on a pedestal, while the people being helped seem to be of secondary importance. This is not only painful, but it also undermines the core values that should underpin development aid argue media scholars Emiel Martens & Wouter Oomen in a recent article on OneWorld.nl later published in English on ZAM Magazine.Emiel Martens and Wouter Oomen are media scholars respectively at the University of Amsterdam and the University of Utrecht. They are both part of the Expertise Centre Humanitarian Communicaton who’s aim is to make non-profits aware of the importance of good communication and to rebuke them when they produce stereotypical or other unethical images. In the past 5 years they have awarded prizes for the best and worst campaigns of Dutch development organisations.