Colonial legacies and local visions: Analyzing visual news in Uganda

Abstract

This study explores Uganda’s colonial history and its influences on representation in contemporary photojournalistic practices. Using both quantitative and qualitative analyses, this study examines 10 years of visual reportage (N = 7987) by the Associated Press, Getty Images, and Agence France-Presse, comparing the news prioritizes and visual conventions of foreign photojournalists with Ugandan photojournalists. This study reveals the global news industry’s continued preference for foreign photojournalism, often prioritizing embodied vulnerability, problem-oriented reportage, and aspects of Afro-pessimistic place-making. This study is a direct comparison of insider and outsider perspectives and outlines the potential consequences of Western constructions of Uganda.