MURDER, SEX AND MAGIC:

Unexpected Encounters in

Library Science

Paul Sturges

A challenged vision of Library Science

Before I took a temporary contract at the University of Botswana 1984-5, I was

– A teacher of reference and information services at Loughborough University,

– A researcher on English library history in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,

– A member of Library Association (predecessor of CILIP) and IFLA committees on library history.

Africa made me reconsider most of what I believed about the content and boundaries of Library Science.

A totally different information environment

The UK in the 1980s had:– A rich pattern of public, academic and special libraries,– A well established set of systems and practices,– Users who got value from libraries.

In Africa:– Libraries were few and far between, with– Poor premises and stock, and few experienced librarians,– Cultures that did not look towards libraries and other formal

information resources for information.

Different research questions

Library Science in Europe and North America could research the interaction between confident users and sophisticated systems.

In Africa there was virtually no Library Science research tradition or relevant literature.

It was necessary to ask questions like:– What information do people need?– How do they seek for it?– Where do they find (or not find) it?– Who do they trust?– What is the potential for new ways of obtaining information?

Such questions, pursued with an open mind, led to the unexpected encounters to be described in this talk.

Why ‘Murder, Sex and Magic’?

At the WLIC in Milan (2009) a group of colleagues were introducing themselves to each other.

Without considering it, I said ‘I’m a researcher and writer and my topics are….’

I said it for effect, but I will try to justify it with information-related examples concerning:

– Violent death and destruction,– Consequences of the sexual impulse,– But most of all, magic, the irrational, spirituality (whatever

you choose to call it).

Murder

Premature death from disease and treatable health conditions is a fact of African life.

– Good information is the first requirement for prevention.

Violent death, from traffic accidents, personal violence and armed conflict is also widespread.

– Information plays a role in prevention, investigation and understanding.

The full role of information in armed conflict is a neglected topic.

An information paradigm of warfare

A new paradigm should deal with:– The acquisition of information– The suppression of information– The dissemination of information

The implication is that those who control these aspects may not need to win the purely military conflict: victory may be possible through information warfare.

Modelling

The various aspects can be visualised as a disc or a millstone with its

– Surface (known as ‘the land’) and the – Grooves on the surface (known as ‘the channels’).

Two opposing stones (one for each opposing side) take the grain and grind out meal (usable information) and chaff (useless information).

Please note: experts on milling technology will see the flaws in this analogy.

The millstone model

Namibia 1966-90

SWAPO’s struggle for Namibian freedom from South Africa was successful, yet –

Its military wing PLAN was described as –– Possibly the most inept in the Third World.

The victory was based on –– Research and documentation– Intelligence and political education– External propaganda and publicity.

SWAPO fought a highly effective information war.

Uganda 1986-

The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) fought an effective guerrilla campaign against the Ugandan army, ostensibly on behalf of the Acholi people.

Their excellent field intelligence and ability to suppress local dissent is paralleled by:

– No political programme– No conventional propaganda capacity– Spirit communication.

The LRA functions today as a bandit/militia movement, based outside Uganda’s borders with no realistic hope of long term success, or even survival.

It never fought a true information war.

LRA soldiers

Consequences of the LRA

Sex

The significance of sex is continuously apparent.– As a joy and consolation– As the bringer of children, but also– As a vector of health-related problems.

The role of information is central in enabling sex to be a healing element in life rather than a source of difficulties and despair.

Children

Children are not only a source and expression of love, they are– Insurance for the family’s future through their

domestic work and employment, and– Potential enhancers of family prosperity through

their careers and marriage alliances. Large families reflect the importance of

children, but also the danger of losing them to disease, accidents etc.

The perils of maternity

Mothers in poor or isolated communities suffer death and debilitating injuries in childbirth.

Closely spaced pregnancies risk weakened mothers and children who develop poorly.

Child marriage risks unhealthily early pregnancies (and other problems).

Sexually transmitted diseases thrive where contraception is not available (or socially accepted).

Maternity in the rural areas

Information and sexual life

The starting point in reducing sex-related problems is information:– For families, concerning contraception, child-

spacing, nutrition, treatment of sex-related conditions.

– To medical practitioners, traditional birth attendants (TBAs), community health workers.

– To communities to alleviate prejudices and demonstrably negative sex-related practices.

Maternity clinic

Magic

The role of the non-rational, spirituality and magic in the information environment of developing countries includes:

– Oral indigenous knowledge– Traditional healing – The old religions and cults.

Even when overlaid with modern science, religion, and material culture, it forms mentalities and influences engagement with information.

The pervasiveness of magic

The alert visitor to the developing world: Hears rumours

– How muti is made Observes manifestations of traditional beliefs

– The Nyau cult of Malawi, for instance Engages with extremely unexpected phenomena

– Crocodiles and their human associates Sees accounts in the media of the magical in everyday

life.– Bikisa Primary School, Uganda

Muti stall

Members of the Nyau cult

A tourist in Burkina Faso

Villagers and their crocodiles

A story from Uganda

Bikisa Primary School was temporarily closed because of demon possession of pupils.

– Source New Vision newspaper, May 2004.

A local man, Isma Serunkuuma was arrested and admitted acquiring demons and releasing them because he was unable to meet their demands.

He was contrite but said his only offence was ‘failing to control demons’.

Demon possession in a school

The response of the community

Parents – were distressed and inclined to leave the area.

District Commissioner – cautioned people against acquiring demons.

Traditional healer (Ben Ggulu)– cleansed the school. County Chairman (also Ggulu) – criticised police for

inadequate response. District Police Commander – condemned mob

justice. Catholic priest – prayed over pupils (but no quoted

comment).

Further responses

A local councillor - called for a law to evict people found with demons.

Local Health Services Director – said cases being examined in the local laboratory.

Reporters dealing with the story – expressed no scepticism, offered no critical comment.

Question – What does this suggest about the potential for modern information services in traditional communities?

Concluding remarks

This is not intended just to be a set of traveller’s tales.

Since it was first developed by Dewey and his successors, Library Science has been driven by a rational paradigm.– If we provide excellent, highly structured

information services, people can be persuaded to use them to their evident benefit.

Concluding remarks (continued)

What Africa did for me was to place this whole belief set under question.

Murder, sex and magic have been neglected and ignored by Library Science.

But might they not offer a whole fresh way of looking at things that is capable of refocusing our professional perceptions?

Thank you for your attention.