Celebrity and Development

Lead Research Organisation: University of Manchester
Department Name: Environment and Development

Abstract

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Description The findings of this research hinge on four paradoxes of celebrity advocacy. The first paradox is that celebrity advocacy occupies a significant proportion of the public domain, but does so without always engaging particularly well with much of the public. Celebrity is populist in form, but not always popular in character. Second, that failure to engage the public does not really matter. Celebrity advocacy can be a remarkably effective tool for working with corporate and government elites. It works partly because they experience closer, less mediated, encounters with celebrity advocates and partly because these elites, and the NGO elites lobbying them, are unlikely to notice any lack of engagement by the general public. It would be hard to. Good evidence of what public engagement with celebrity constitutes is scarce. The assumption that celebrity advocacy is popular is deeply rooted. What matters, however, is that they believe that celebrities are embodying the affective will of the people. Third, it is not just elites who may be deceived as to the nature of celebrities' influence, in the glare of publicity we, the viewers and consumers of celebrity spectacle, are also blinded. We may think that the publicity is the important aspect of celebrity. But publicity can be a sideshow; what matters goes on behind the scenes.

My argument therefore is that celebrity advocacy which is now so well organised by NGOs marks, ironically, a disengagement between the public and politics, and particularly between the public and the civil society organisations which try to represent development and humanitarian needs. It is not an expression of the popular will because the evidence indicates that interest in celebrity seems rather thinner and more variable than we might expect. Its rise has not been fuelled by popular demand but by corporate power. Celebrity advocacy is by and for elites. It provides a means for NGO elites to work more effectively with corporate and policy elites, not the broader population. As such celebrity advocacy is part of the lived practices of post-democracy.

And what are the consequences of this state of affairs for the achievements of celebrity advocates for development? My argument here is that thus far the influence of celebrity on development issues and problems per se has been relatively limited. Celebrity is rather good at sustaining an NGO sector, but not necessarily good at tackling inherently problematic development issues. However I also suggest that the new development actors that celebrities constitute could be used more imaginatively, and progressively, than at present. The final paradox is that the very post-democratic politics which can make elites oppressive may also contain within it the possibilities of making celebrity advocacy progressive.
Exploitation Route These findings are important to a number of scholars studying celebrity issues and celebrity advocacy as they outline new ways in which celebrity could be used for radical or progressive ends. I have also been particularly gratified to learn that one of the leading celebrity advocacy organisations in the states uses the book from this project as basic instructino for its celebrity liaison officers. There is, therefore, some potential for the findings to be taken up by a variety of NGOs and other organisations working with celebrity.
Sectors Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice,Other
URL https://celebrityanddevelopment.wordpress.com/
 
Description AHRC Open Call
Amount £222,301 (GBP)
Funding ID AH/N00731X/1 
Organisation Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 10/2016 
End 07/2018
 
Description Coverage by the Guardian Newspaper 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact An article covering the book from this research.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2014
URL http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/27/i-am-all-for-a-list-activists-in-the-right-role
 
Description Fast Company Blog 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact An article covering the book from this research
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2014
URL http://www.fastcoexist.com/3034297/do-people-actually-care-more-when-a-celebrity-supports-a-charity
 
Description New York Times 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact An article examining this research's relevance to recent issues
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2014
URL http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/08/26/miley-cyrus-and-the-impact-of-celebrity-activism
 
Description Third Sector 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact A one page report on the research for the trade journal of the third sector.

Charities need to rethink celebrity.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2013
URL http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1102612/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH