This blog holds the process documentation, related papers and notes on the development of my PhD on Art & Cultural Practice with Technology in Southern and East Africa.

PhD is being taken through the Planetary Collegium at the Centre for Advanced Inquiry in the Interactive Arts (CAiiA) at Plymouth University in the United Kingdom.

Director of Studies Roy Ascott, and Supervisors Mike Phillips and Jane Grant.

More on the topic:

The topic is one that is highly political in light of global technology culture, but additionally holds an understanding of particular aesthetic methodologies that are embedded in the histories of local cultures and their particular use of technology.

My research at present is drawing from fieldwork: talking to artist, technologists and innovators on their impressions and understanding of the field and technology environment and how they find they embedded in it. In addition I am addressing closely the histories of communication technologies in the three major cities, alongside theories of global communications and de-colonial theory. Through this I am attempting to present an understanding of the locally embedded complexity and nuance of the aesthetic methodologies at play with communications technologies in Africa. The research takes a radical approach in methodology as a mechanism to move way from the dialogue of “innovation” that currently overshadows any research around communications technology (from the West), and tries to assert a local and  more sensitive dialogue around culture and technology in Africa.

Please send any comments or requests to teganbristow at gmail . com.

For more on other aspect of my work please visit my main website at www.teganbristow.com