KONY 2012: You Must Watch This

March 22, 2012 by Claire Ainsley in International Affairs with 10 Comments

KONY 2012: You Must Watch This.

Have you watched the Kony 2012 campaign video? If so you have played one of the 83 million views (and counting) this controversial short film has had in the last three weeks on You Tube. Created by US-based charity Invisible Children, the 30-minute video has sparked a massive international debate, allegedly precipitating the creator’s personal meltdown, and one of the fastest viral campaigns in internet history.

Whatever your view on the politics and ethics of the medium and the message, as a piece of filmmaking, it is compelling in its narrative. A complex story about Joseph Kony, a leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army operating primarily in Uganda accused of the abduction of children to become sex slaves and child soldiers, is told simply and emotively. It ends with a call to action that has ignited young people’s activism in the US, by demanding that Kony is held to account for his crimes and tried by the International Criminal Court.

Yet the simplicity has been part of the film’s undoing, which has come under heavy fire from criticsfor failing to reflect the nuances of the current situation, not least because Kony is said to have long fled Ugandaand that the LRA has been in retreat for years. All political campaigns have to simplify issues to transmit ideas to a mass audience – it is an intrinsic part of telling a story and one that can sit uncomfortably for those close to the reality. But the claims that the film is misleading and perpetuating a disempowering advocacy model are altogether more damaging.

Ugandan critics have been quick to point out that the video presents a negative and inaccurate image of their country, based on outdated interpretations of Uganda’s past. Ugandan journalist Rosebell Kagumire reports former UN Prosecutor’s Dr. Payam Akhavan’s comments that the video reflects a lack of consultation with Ugandan communities – if they had been consulted, Akhavan says the money raised on the back of it would have been better directed to those who need it.

Whilst Invisible Children, in a detailed response to their critics, maintain that most of their staff in Uganda are Ugandan, the implication is that those staff work on their in-country programmes rather than in the driving seat of their political campaigns and messaging. Out of all the many criticisms being made of the film, the failure to locate the leadership of its policy decision-making within the communities most affected by Kony’s crimes repeats the same failures too many domestic and international charities fall foul of. The first act of liberation is to find one’s own voice, and that is incompatible with others, however well-meaning, taking the reins of advocacy.

But there is something awe-inspiring about 83 million views on You Tube for an international campaign, and the resulting activism and awareness that has followed. If you hold any hope for the political activism of a generation that isn’t occupying campuses and streets as the Vietnam protesters did, then the fact that millions of young people are choosing to watch a video and take a stand about international human rights has to be a cause of celebration.

There is an extraordinary shift taking place in people power and only to carp from the sidelines about the flaws of the campaign is to miss the significance of political engagement on this scale. It has become a mass platform to discuss not only Kony’s crimes and that of other international fugitives like Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, accused of genocide in Darfur, but to debate how to effectively campaign on international human rights issues.

Some expertsdoubt that the campaign to bring Kony to justice in 2012 will be effective via the International Criminal Court, although agree it would be a welcome move. It has been argued that failure and misinformation will dent activism, and whilst no-one should condone campaigns based on misinformation, it might be more de-motivating to a new activist to have their efforts met with scorn by commentators.

Kony 2012 should be scrutinised for its methods and means. But neither should the optimistic signals demonstrated by this film’s impact be overlooked in the critique.

Tagged ICC, Invisible Children, Joseph Kony, Kony 2012, LRA, UN

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About Claire Ainsley

Claire is a postgraduate student in the Department of Politics at Birkbeck College, University of London. She holds a degree from the University of York and works in campaigns and media relations.

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AnonymousMarch 23, 2012 at 7:12 pmReply

It's as if you have not come across the numerous articles describing how the Ugandan forces supplied with arms by Invisible Children's money have been found guilty of raping young girls.

Furthermore, it should not be the case that everything must be so glamorised in order to win people's attention. The only reason this video caught on was because Rihanna retweeted it. If the solution to getting people interested about crucial matters is to spend overwhelming amounts of the organisations' money on hiring film directors (etc.), than we really are living in a sad world.

Claire AinsleyMarch 25, 2012 at 3:15 amReply

Thanks for your comment. I agree that there are lots of valid and important criticisms of the Kony 2012 campaign. The positive aspect I wanted to highlight was the activism that the campaign has inspired.

Matt WahnsiedlerMarch 26, 2012 at 3:31 pmReply

Is this real activism? Watching a YouTube video, liking it on Facebook and Tweeting #stopkony? More importantly, how positive is it that so many people have rallied to support such an awful, impractical proposal to solving the LRA problem?

Anastasia KyriacouMarch 26, 2012 at 4:58 pmReply

Yeah, in agreement with Matt although the video may have been effective in the sense many people watched it, just because it is an effective method it doesn't make the method right. The video is misleading, hyperbolic, inaccurate and excessively glamorous. Merely making someone famous is not a solution, just as buying a wristband to donate money isn't. There are so many pressing issues in the world, and if this method was frequently used for them than they would not be so successful. Kony 2012 was a one hit wonder. A rather bad one.

Darren DuffyMarch 27, 2012 at 10:13 amReply

I am also in agreement with Matt and Anastasia – there is no success in a video that misleads, diverts attention away from more pressing humanitarian disasters, starts framing such situations as ‘good’ Vs. ‘evil’ and builds up expectations that will ultimately result in disillusion.

Ignoring my first point (it’s been covered more than enough), the current famine developing in Niger, the coup in Mali, the conflict in DRC, the developing problems associated with the independence of Southern Sudan are but a few problems in Africa that have been overshadowed by this rather late call to arms to tackle an arguably receding threat to life and security in Africa. Naturally, there are other places in the world that may also be worthy of the attention (perhaps our European neighbours in Russia), yet nobody steps up to challenge the way the AIDs crisis, the extreme poverty or the Chechen secessionist movement have been dealt with. This diversion is made all the worse by the fact that it has been so ‘effective’ and gained celebrity endorsement.

The problem with good and evil always makes me rather nervous, using the innocence of a child, a white, middle-class child at that, to contrast with the violence of this warlord in Africa seems to reflect further the notion that we in the west can be heroic, and will be the force for good in the fight against this evil. When framing situations in such terms it then becomes difficult to start questioning the methods used by the ‘good’ – humanitarian intervention has often caused more harm and suffering than it has prevented – we need only look at what happened in Kosovo to see this. Making Kony a famous villain and raising $30.00 for each pack sold cannot translate into the capture of this one man without the deployment of military forces. What the video shows is a mere advisory force, but it would take actual fighting to capture the man, needless to say this may also have further implications in terms of the international politics involved. It could potentially challenge sovereignty of states in this manhunt, which we all know does not go down too well with the traditionalist states of Russia and China, who could easily veto any UNSC action.

This leads very much to the final point – the building up of unrealistic expectations. If all goes according to plan and the show of solidarity results in the streets being plastered with these posters and emblems, and enough money is raised, there is no guarantee that the goal (capturing Kony) can be achieved, or at least done so without bloodshed. Should this goal not be achieved all of the hard work will be undone – people will not be so inclined to invest their money and their hopes in such a scheme again.

While I cannot fault the motivation to help reduce suffering in the world, this video has done much to knock the credibility of humanitarian organisations, such as MSF or the ICRC, who have attempted to remain apolitical in their delivery of aid in order to ensure that they can adhere to the Hippocratic notion of ‘first, do no harm.’

Claire AinsleyMarch 29, 2012 at 5:53 amReply

I agree with the criticisms of the film and campaign. I could add to them, and in particular I reject the paternalist model it's based on. But the magnitude of the response to it is unprecedented and could become a platform to engage more and more people in campaigning for human rights. Part of political activism is debate, asking more questions and activists finding out for themselves about the politics and ethics of campaigns like this. Whilst some of the 83m+ viewers won't take action, some will be engaged and may well be exposed to the criticisms of the campaign. Let's face it, some of the criticisms levelled at this campaign could also be applied to other international NGO campaigns and representations of the global south, and they will also have been subject to debate and dispute amongst activists.

What is 'real' activism anyway? I would consider myself a 'real' activist, I've been on countless protests and such like, but the problem with most of them is lack of support and interest, so seeing so many people choose to watch this video and do something about the issues it raises is encouraging, even if we dispute the campaign means and ends.

Like them or not, these mass mobilisation techniques are a thing of the future and could be a powerful force for change if better harnessed.

Darren DuffyMarch 31, 2012 at 3:39 pmReply

I cannot help but feel, though, that when people's hopes and expectations are raised by this particular campaign, it may ruin equivalent or copycat campaigns that may be inspired when the expected outcome is not achieved. The notion of 'once bitten, twice shy'.

We need only look to election campaign techniques (probably best to look at US elections as they tend to be more cutting edge, though Philip Gould did his best to invigorate British campaigns) to see that there is often a short shelf-life on such techniques. The Obama campaign was successful (in part) due to its 'freshness' (not to mention the hard work and dedication of the campaigners)- people became wrapped up in the campaign because it was new and exciting, much as people will view the Kony 2012 campaign. While this may be a wake up call for other aid agencies – to jump start a more 21st Century friendly campaign – we will unfortunately not see another such campaign for a more credible (for the reasons touched on in previous posts) cause.

In regards to 'real' activism, that is definitely too much of a minefield of subjectivity, in its most radical form the only 'real' activists are those working within the organisations, whilst in its more encopassing it may include those who simply raise awareness and encourage support for a cause. If the latter is to be accepted then it may just be the case that 'clicktivism' can be included as 'real activism'.

YukiDecember 29, 2012 at 8:20 amReply

Hi Pam,And the good news is that the video helped sooemne like yourself became aware of the situation because of the talk, but you are right in that all of this needs to be so much more than a recent sensation.I love how the film is making people aware, but in the end it takes the long, hard and dirty work of peaceful sustainability to really bring about change.Trust you are well.Curt

Matt WahnsiedlerApril 2, 2012 at 9:58 amReply

Claire,

But the interest most people have in Kony 2012 is good vs evil, bad guys always lose, wars are simply won, starry-eyed rubbish. If anything it's a damning indictment of the 'global north', that the only causes that capture attention are almost entirely detached from reality. You're right that that is a powerful force to be harnessed, but it's hard to see what good cause it might serve.

10 Comments

AnonymousMarch 23, 2012 at 7:12 pmReply

It's as if you have not come across the numerous articles describing how the Ugandan forces supplied with arms by Invisible Children's money have been found guilty of raping young girls.

Furthermore, it should not be the case that everything must be so glamorised in order to win people's attention. The only reason this video caught on was because Rihanna retweeted it. If the solution to getting people interested about crucial matters is to spend overwhelming amounts of the organisations' money on hiring film directors (etc.), than we really are living in a sad world.
Claire AinsleyMarch 25, 2012 at 3:15 amReply

Thanks for your comment. I agree that there are lots of valid and important criticisms of the Kony 2012 campaign. The positive aspect I wanted to highlight was the activism that the campaign has inspired.
Matt WahnsiedlerMarch 26, 2012 at 3:31 pmReply

Is this real activism? Watching a YouTube video, liking it on Facebook and Tweeting #stopkony? More importantly, how positive is it that so many people have rallied to support such an awful, impractical proposal to solving the LRA problem?
Anastasia KyriacouMarch 26, 2012 at 4:58 pmReply

Yeah, in agreement with Matt although the video may have been effective in the sense many people watched it, just because it is an effective method it doesn't make the method right. The video is misleading, hyperbolic, inaccurate and excessively glamorous. Merely making someone famous is not a solution, just as buying a wristband to donate money isn't. There are so many pressing issues in the world, and if this method was frequently used for them than they would not be so successful. Kony 2012 was a one hit wonder. A rather bad one.
Darren DuffyMarch 27, 2012 at 10:13 amReply

I am also in agreement with Matt and Anastasia – there is no success in a video that misleads, diverts attention away from more pressing humanitarian disasters, starts framing such situations as ‘good’ Vs. ‘evil’ and builds up expectations that will ultimately result in disillusion.

Ignoring my first point (it’s been covered more than enough), the current famine developing in Niger, the coup in Mali, the conflict in DRC, the developing problems associated with the independence of Southern Sudan are but a few problems in Africa that have been overshadowed by this rather late call to arms to tackle an arguably receding threat to life and security in Africa. Naturally, there are other places in the world that may also be worthy of the attention (perhaps our European neighbours in Russia), yet nobody steps up to challenge the way the AIDs crisis, the extreme poverty or the Chechen secessionist movement have been dealt with. This diversion is made all the worse by the fact that it has been so ‘effective’ and gained celebrity endorsement.

The problem with good and evil always makes me rather nervous, using the innocence of a child, a white, middle-class child at that, to contrast with the violence of this warlord in Africa seems to reflect further the notion that we in the west can be heroic, and will be the force for good in the fight against this evil. When framing situations in such terms it then becomes difficult to start questioning the methods used by the ‘good’ – humanitarian intervention has often caused more harm and suffering than it has prevented – we need only look at what happened in Kosovo to see this. Making Kony a famous villain and raising $30.00 for each pack sold cannot translate into the capture of this one man without the deployment of military forces. What the video shows is a mere advisory force, but it would take actual fighting to capture the man, needless to say this may also have further implications in terms of the international politics involved. It could potentially challenge sovereignty of states in this manhunt, which we all know does not go down too well with the traditionalist states of Russia and China, who could easily veto any UNSC action.

This leads very much to the final point – the building up of unrealistic expectations. If all goes according to plan and the show of solidarity results in the streets being plastered with these posters and emblems, and enough money is raised, there is no guarantee that the goal (capturing Kony) can be achieved, or at least done so without bloodshed. Should this goal not be achieved all of the hard work will be undone – people will not be so inclined to invest their money and their hopes in such a scheme again.

While I cannot fault the motivation to help reduce suffering in the world, this video has done much to knock the credibility of humanitarian organisations, such as MSF or the ICRC, who have attempted to remain apolitical in their delivery of aid in order to ensure that they can adhere to the Hippocratic notion of ‘first, do no harm.’
AnonymousMarch 27, 2012 at 3:07 pmReply

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/03/14/the_road_to_hell_is_paved_with_viral_videos_kony_2012#.T28pLDprz_Y.twitter
Claire AinsleyMarch 29, 2012 at 5:53 amReply

I agree with the criticisms of the film and campaign. I could add to them, and in particular I reject the paternalist model it's based on. But the magnitude of the response to it is unprecedented and could become a platform to engage more and more people in campaigning for human rights. Part of political activism is debate, asking more questions and activists finding out for themselves about the politics and ethics of campaigns like this. Whilst some of the 83m+ viewers won't take action, some will be engaged and may well be exposed to the criticisms of the campaign. Let's face it, some of the criticisms levelled at this campaign could also be applied to other international NGO campaigns and representations of the global south, and they will also have been subject to debate and dispute amongst activists.

What is 'real' activism anyway? I would consider myself a 'real' activist, I've been on countless protests and such like, but the problem with most of them is lack of support and interest, so seeing so many people choose to watch this video and do something about the issues it raises is encouraging, even if we dispute the campaign means and ends.

Like them or not, these mass mobilisation techniques are a thing of the future and could be a powerful force for change if better harnessed.
Darren DuffyMarch 31, 2012 at 3:39 pmReply

I cannot help but feel, though, that when people's hopes and expectations are raised by this particular campaign, it may ruin equivalent or copycat campaigns that may be inspired when the expected outcome is not achieved. The notion of 'once bitten, twice shy'.

We need only look to election campaign techniques (probably best to look at US elections as they tend to be more cutting edge, though Philip Gould did his best to invigorate British campaigns) to see that there is often a short shelf-life on such techniques. The Obama campaign was successful (in part) due to its 'freshness' (not to mention the hard work and dedication of the campaigners)- people became wrapped up in the campaign because it was new and exciting, much as people will view the Kony 2012 campaign. While this may be a wake up call for other aid agencies – to jump start a more 21st Century friendly campaign – we will unfortunately not see another such campaign for a more credible (for the reasons touched on in previous posts) cause.

In regards to 'real' activism, that is definitely too much of a minefield of subjectivity, in its most radical form the only 'real' activists are those working within the organisations, whilst in its more encopassing it may include those who simply raise awareness and encourage support for a cause. If the latter is to be accepted then it may just be the case that 'clicktivism' can be included as 'real activism'.
- YukiDecember 29, 2012 at 8:20 amReply
  
  Hi Pam,And the good news is that the video helped sooemne like yourself became aware of the situation because of the talk, but you are right in that all of this needs to be so much more than a recent sensation.I love how the film is making people aware, but in the end it takes the long, hard and dirty work of peaceful sustainability to really bring about change.Trust you are well.Curt
Matt WahnsiedlerApril 2, 2012 at 9:58 amReply

Claire,

But the interest most people have in Kony 2012 is good vs evil, bad guys always lose, wars are simply won, starry-eyed rubbish. If anything it's a damning indictment of the 'global north', that the only causes that capture attention are almost entirely detached from reality. You're right that that is a powerful force to be harnessed, but it's hard to see what good cause it might serve.

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KONY 2012: You Must Watch This

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