The lived experiences of first-generation African cultural entrepreneurs in Birmingham (UK)

Tshuma, Sihlangu (2020) The lived experiences of first-generation African cultural entrepreneurs in Birmingham (UK). Doctoral thesis, Birmingham City University.

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Abstract

The thesis explores the lived experiences of first-generation African cultural entrepreneurs in Birmingham, the UK. Among new immigrant communities in European cities are African cultural entrepreneurs, who contend with transitioning from original contexts of practice and with negotiating unfamiliar social structures of host communities. I investigate how first-generation African cultural entrepreneurs describe their experiences in the UK’s cultural and creative industries. I particularly examine the experiences that are associated with being a first-generation immigrant cultural worker. The study responds to the need for a qualitative understanding of the lived experiences of the cultural labour force (Gill and Pratt, 2008; Banks, 2006; Hesmondhalgh and Baker, 2011). Qualitative mixed methods are employed, which include semi-structured interviews, participatory observations and an urban walkabout. The study is also inspired by calls for the consideration of alternative perspectives of cultural and creative work studies beyond the Euro-American orbit (Curran and Park, 2000; Wang, 2010; Alacovska and Gill, 2019). The study is situated at the intersection between cultural studies and the emerging discipline of cultural entrepreneurship. I draw on a range of theoretical debates, which encompass the precariousness of cultural and creative work and hope labour (Kuehn and Corrigan, 2013). The findings of hyper-precariousness are a rejoinder to the egalitarian image of the cultural and creative industries. A salient facet of first-generation African cultural work is how it is hosted within the religious space, which is one of the distinguishing elements from Western cultural entrepreneurship. The experience of first-generation African cultural entrepreneurs is summarised according to the dominant themes of interstitial and liminal location.

Item Type: Thesis (Doctoral)
Dates:
DateEvent
April 2020Submitted
28 September 2020Accepted
Uncontrolled Keywords: First-generation Africans, Africa cultural entrepreneurs, Culture and creative industries, Birmingham
Subjects: CAH17 - business and management > CAH17-01 - business and management > CAH17-01-01 - business and management (non-specific)
CAH25 - design, and creative and performing arts > CAH25-01 - creative arts and design > CAH25-01-01 - creative arts and design (non-specific)
Divisions: Doctoral Research College > Doctoral Theses Collection
Faculty of Arts, Design and Media > Birmingham Institute of Media and English > Birmingham School of Media
Depositing User: Jaycie Carter
Date Deposited: 04 Jul 2022 14:15
Last Modified: 04 Jul 2022 14:15
URI: https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/13384

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