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Study Description   

The world we live in is constantly changing. Every part of the world is currently experiencing some form of social change and transformation. Globalization is responsible for bringing about much of the changes taking place around the world.                         

This formative (exploratory) study sought to gather data regarding how current global forces, including cultural, economic, technological, and social globalization, impact the lives of African youth.  Data collected from this study helped elicit youth perspectives on the specific effects (positive & negative) of globalization on youth in Africa. The study is a mixed methods study that involved the collection of data through the internet (website) and social media, specifically pictures and a short demographic survey. The study methodology is innovative, as it explored the feasibility of conducting a Photo-voice study via the Internet. Youth between the ages of 18-30 were invited to submit a picture showing the most salient impact of globalization on their lives based on their perspective. In addition to providing a picture, participants were asked to complete a short demographic survey, a consent form and a short narrative of the contents of the picture. This research project was announced through African and International Social Media sites that young people access, including blogs, newspapers, Facebook, and youth-based non- governmental organizations.

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Findings

The study reached over fifty youth in fourteen different countries in Africa. Results from analyses revealed that young people acknowledge that globalization is having an impact on their lives in different ways. The most cited area of impact was the social dimension. Participants reported that globalization impacts their social lives have been significantly. We found that the internet serves as a way to examine and try to understand globalization's impact on African youth. However, this research approach is still evolving.

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