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The Africa Institute organized a faculty seminar that shed light on the intricate relationship between news, numbers, and race. The seminar, titled “News, Numbers and Race: How Statistics Racialized the Scientific Imagination,” featured Professor Jairo Alfonso Lugo-Ocando, the Dean of the College of Communication at the University of Sharjah. The seminar took place on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at The Africa Institute library.
During the seminar, an insightful exploration unfolded, highlighting how statistics within media narratives can inadvertently perpetuate existing power structures instead of challenging them. While statistics are often considered objective and reliable sources of information, Professor Lugo-Ocando argued that they can encapsulate historical biases and reflect social agendas. For instance, some statistics have been developed by proponents of the Eugenic school, while others are influenced by socially constructed conventions. Consequently, statistics in news stories can inadvertently reinforce strategic narratives that perpetuate existing power structures, including notions of race, in various domains such as humanitarian assistance, crime, and science.
“Numbers, as the backbone of race, empire, and slavery, play a profound role in shaping our understanding of progress and modernity. In the realm of journalism, statistics are wielded to articulate news about development, yet their inherent subjectivity and potential for manipulation cannot be ignored. We must recognize that statistics, while valuable tools, are not absolute representations of reality. Instead, they are enmeshed within larger ideological frameworks and wielded to support narratives that perpetuate existing power structures. As journalists, we have a responsibility to critically examine and scrutinize the statistics we use, ensuring transparency and conveying their limitations to the public. Only then can we harness the true potential of numbers in reporting on development and beyond,” said Professor Lugo-Ocando.
Professor Jairo Lugo-Ocando worked as a journalist, correspondent, and news editor for several media outlets in Latin America. Today, he continues to engage with the mainstream news media as a regular commentator for Al-Jazeera and a columnist for various newspapers.
As an academic, Professor Lugo-Ocando has served as the Director (Assistant Dean) for Graduate Studies and Executive Education at Northwestern University in Qatar and as the Deputy Head of the School of Media and Communication at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. Throughout his career, he has secured external research grants from reputed institutions such as the United Kingdom’s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Qatar National Research Fund, Leverhulme Trust, and Carnegie Trust for the Universities in Scotland, totaling over US$1.2 million.
The seminar was moderated by Binyam Sisay Mendisu, Associate Professor of African Languages and Linguistics, and Associate Director of The Africa Institute who facilitated the discussion and encouraged critical thinking among the participants.
The Africa Institute, through events like this faculty seminar, reaffirms its commitment to the study and research of Africa and its diaspora. By bringing together experts and scholars, the institute aims to foster a new generation of critical thinkers in African and African Diaspora studies.
The Africa Institute organized a faculty seminar that shed light on the intricate relationship between news, numbers, and race. The seminar, titled “News, Numbers and Race: How Statistics Racialized the Scientific Imagination,” featured Professor Jairo Alfonso Lugo-Ocando, the Dean of the College of Communication at the University of Sharjah. The seminar took place on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at The Africa Institute library.
The Africa Institute organized a faculty seminar that shed light on the intricate relationship between news, numbers, and race. The seminar, titled “News, Numbers and Race: How Statistics Racialized the Scientific Imagination,” featured Professor Jairo Alfonso Lugo-Ocando, the Dean of the College of Communication at the University of Sharjah. The seminar took place on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at The Africa Institute library.
During the seminar, an insightful exploration unfolded, highlighting how statistics within media narratives can inadvertently perpetuate existing power structures instead of challenging them. While statistics are often considered objective and reliable sources of information, Professor Lugo-Ocando argued that they can encapsulate historical biases and reflect social agendas. For instance, some statistics have been developed by proponents of the Eugenic school, while others are influenced by socially constructed conventions. Consequently, statistics in news stories can inadvertently reinforce strategic narratives that perpetuate existing power structures, including notions of race, in various domains such as humanitarian assistance, crime, and science.
“Numbers, as the backbone of race, empire, and slavery, play a profound role in shaping our understanding of progress and modernity. In the realm of journalism, statistics are wielded to articulate news about development, yet their inherent subjectivity and potential for manipulation cannot be ignored. We must recognize that statistics, while valuable tools, are not absolute representations of reality. Instead, they are enmeshed within larger ideological frameworks and wielded to support narratives that perpetuate existing power structures. As journalists, we have a responsibility to critically examine and scrutinize the statistics we use, ensuring transparency and conveying their limitations to the public. Only then can we harness the true potential of numbers in reporting on development and beyond,” said Professor Lugo-Ocando.
Professor Jairo Lugo-Ocando worked as a journalist, correspondent, and news editor for several media outlets in Latin America. Today, he continues to engage with the mainstream news media as a regular commentator for Al-Jazeera and a columnist for various newspapers.
As an academic, Professor Lugo-Ocando has served as the Director (Assistant Dean) for Graduate Studies and Executive Education at Northwestern University in Qatar and as the Deputy Head of the School of Media and Communication at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. Throughout his career, he has secured external research grants from reputed institutions such as the United Kingdom’s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Qatar National Research Fund, Leverhulme Trust, and Carnegie Trust for the Universities in Scotland, totaling over US$1.2 million.
The seminar was moderated by Binyam Sisay Mendisu, Associate Professor of African Languages and Linguistics, and Associate Director of The Africa Institute who facilitated the discussion and encouraged critical thinking among the participants.
The Africa Institute, through events like this faculty seminar, reaffirms its commitment to the study and research of Africa and its diaspora. By bringing together experts and scholars, the institute aims to foster a new generation of critical thinkers in African and African Diaspora studies.
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