Magai Nimyel
Center for Conflict Management and Peace Studies,
University of Jos, PMB 2084, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
E-mail: nimyelmaguy1@gmail.com

Luka Dajahar Dinshak, PhD
Center for Conflict Management and Peace Studies,
University of Jos, PMB 2084, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
E-mail: dinshakluka@gmail.com

&

Walnshak Alheri Danfulani
Department of Politics and International Studies,
Center for Conflict Management and Peace Studies,
University of Jos, PMB, 2084, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
E-mail: walnshak@gmail.com/

Abstract
Movies, documentaries, news media and other such sources are beginning to make their mark on bringing to a global audience, description, analysis and contextualization of several conflicts, both old and contemporary. Thus, this study is aimed at examining the capacity of the media, especially movies and documentaries, in creating awareness, education and conflict resolution or management. Using Biyi Bandele’s movie adaptation of Chimamanda Adiche’s book ‘Half of a yellow sun’ and Uwe Boll’s ‘Darfur’, the study was able to explore the potential of movies (media) to portray identity, deprivation and grievances in the Nigerian Civil war and Darfuri conflict. The study utilized mainly secondary sources of data from the two movies, a YouTube video, journals, reports, web pages and news media. These sources enabled the authors to arrive at the conclusion that indeed Film (movies, documentaries and other video media) are increasingly becoming useful research, analytical, teaching and conflict analysis tool. Furthermore, they have the potential to expose conflicts – local and regional – to a global audience. Finally, it demonstrates the relevance of theories in explaining conflicts through these movies.
Keywords: Conflict, Identity, Movies, Civil War, Relative Deprivation, Greed vs Grievances
Introduction
Africa has been besieged with several conflicts over the decades that can be tagged as identity conflicts. While these conflicts are often exacerbated by other salient and less obvious factors like poor governance, illegitimate governments, poverty, illiteracy, corruption, resource control, electoral malpractice among others, identity has often remained at the core of most African conflicts. The Rwandan 1994 genocide, the Nigeria Civil War (1967 –1970), the South African Apartheid (1948-1991) and Sudan-South Sudan War (1955-1972, 1983-2005) typify some of these cases, although contextually different still emphatic on identity dynamics nonetheless. Identities as social constructs are often shaped by various traits and experiences. Characteristics like race, skin color and ethnicity are often subjective depending on society. Identities however, are not only based on ascribed traits but on shared values or beliefs as well. Typically, for any intergroup (racial, ethnic or religious) conflict to occur, the conflicting parties have distinct separate collective identities, each side believing the fight to be between ‘us’ and ‘them’. The extent to which these conflicts persists rests largely on the value placed of the identities held.
The media has often played a crucial role of reporting on and even actual coverage of conflicts as they evolve across diverse platforms to an international audience. Several documentaries archived across history also reflect the immerse contribution of the media and film in recording conflicts. While the use of movies as a tool for illustrating conflicts has always provided more in-depth analysis and contextualization of the issues at play, its role in creating awareness on conflicts across borders to a wide audience cannot be overlooked. Popular movies like Randall Wallace’s 2002 ‘We were Soldiers’ depiction of America’s war in Vietnam in 1965, Mel Gibson’s 1995 ‘Braveheart’, a portrayal of the Scottish rebellion against England and Micheal Bay’s 2001 ‘Pearl Harbor’ on the Japanese 1941 attack on the American naval base at Pearl harbor standout and represent examples of some movie narrations of western conflicts. Similarly, movies like Darrell Roodt’s 1992 ‘Sarafina’ on the South African Apartheid, Terry George’s ‘Hotel Rwanda’ (2004) on the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Ridley Scott’s 2001 ‘Black Hawk Down’ about the 1993 UN-Somalian incident in Mogadishu, and Edward Zwick’s ‘Blood Diamond’ (2006) about the Sierra Leone civil war 1991-2002 also depict African conflicts. Even though these movies are mostly fictional and ranked for their box office ratings, they have been widely criticized for their historical inaccuracies of actual events. Yet despite the global status of film, the use of movies as an analytical tool of research, teaching or even conflict analysis is still relatively new (Engert & Spencer, 2009). Although several arguments have emerged across disciplines over its credibility as a research tool, it is gaining popularity and relevance regardless. This thus informs the content of this paper.

619 KB

Leave a Comment