If I were a carpenter: Reframing debates in media and communication research in Africa

There has never been a better opportunity to rethink media and communication research in an Afrocentric context than the one presenting itself courtesy of this volume. Thanks to the constantly evolving nature of these customarily paired disciplines, it has become imperative to evaluate the work we are doing and indeed what those before us accomplished. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss and critique research in the aforementioned fields using Africa as a point of departure. It seeks to comprehend the real meaning of research for those of us studying media and communications in Africa. It also seeks to appreciate the opportunities and threats faced by those conducting research in media and communications. Plenty of questions are posed not only in this chapter but in all sections of this volume. How should African media research be perceived by fellow scholars within or outside the continent? What constitutes African? What are research ethics? Should African researchers adopt ethics suggested by European colleagues?.