Global Media Lab
Global Media Lab
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GML Summer Fellow Reflections
September 3, 2024
This summer, five Global Media Lab Summer Fellows worked with Tanzania's Economic and Social Research Foundation to pursue research projects aligned with ESRF's goals: Athena Wagner, Bode Brewer, Savannah Nivin, Kwegya Awotwi, and Aiden O'Connell. They worked on projects including disability rights, youth political participation, coastal cleanup, charter cities, and illegal artisinal mining.
Read there reflections here.
Salma Emmanuel presents at the European Economic Association
August 27, 2025
GML Researcher Salma Emmanuel presented her research paper, The Effect of Environment and Health News on Residential Solar Adoption. Evidence from Rural Tanzania, at the European Economic Association in Bordeaux.
The paper is co-authored with GML Student Researcher Athena Wagner.
GML researcher Noela Ringo starts her PhD
August 25, 2025
GML researcher Noela Ringo is starting her PhD in economics at the University of Houston!
Noela is pursuing her PhD after leading GML projects at the Economic and Social Research Foundation in Tanzania for two years.
GML Working Paper #1
June 25, 2025
The Effect of Radio Dramas on Willingness to Report Intimate Partner Violence: Evidence from a Survey Experiment in Tanzania (under review)
by Kate SantaMaria, Noela Ringo, Kasim Abdallah, Dylan W Groves, and Brenda Nyambo
Intimate partner violence remains widespread partly because victims and witnesses are reluctant to report incidents to authorities. We examine whether narrative media messages can increase willingness to report intimate partner violence in rural Tanzania through a survey experiment involving 1,009 respondents across 15 villages. Participants were randomly assigned to hear a 1.5-minute radio drama or to a pure control condition. Fewer than 10\% of control group respondents recommend that intimate partner violence victims report to police, the authority respondents believe is most likely to punish the abusive husband, but also most likely to cause the husband to abandon the victim. Treated respondents were 8.9 percentage points more likely to recommend that victims report to the police (p < 0.001). However, the drama did not improve other pre-specified outcomes—support for reporting to village chairpersons or witnesses reporting IPV—nor did it affect underlying attitudes about intimate partner violence acceptability, perceptions of community norms, or beliefs about reporting consequences. Our findings highlight the distinction between citizens' views of police and local political authorities as targets of intimate partner violence reporting. The results also suggest that narrative dramas can influence support for behaviors central to their narrative, but with limited spillover to related attitudes or behaviors.
GML researchers at PPSA
April 11, 2025
GML student researchers Benjamin Risley, Kate SantaMaria, and Isabella Tang presented their research at the Pennsylvania Political Science Association in Harrisburg.
Ben presented his research (with Francis Nyonzo and Zakayo Zakaria) on watchdog journalism, Kate presented her research (with Noela Ringo and Kasim Abdallah) on using media messages to combat intimate partner violence, and Isabella presented her honors thesis research on human trafficking.
Kata SantaMaria presents at Lafayette Undergraduate Research Conference
April 2, 2025
GML student researcher Kate SantaMaria presented her research at the Lafayette Undergraduate research conference.
Kate presented her research on using media messages to combat intimate partner violence, conducted in collaboration with GML researchers Noela Ringo and Kasim Abdallah.
Isabella Tang presents to policymakers at Pennsylvania Capitol
March 25, 2025
GML student researcher Isabella Tang presented her honors thesis research to the policymakers at the Pennsylvania Capitol Building as part of the "Undergraduate Research at the Council" program. She was one of two students from Lafayette College selected for the presentation.
Isabella presented her research on barriers to social reintegration to human trafficking victims in rural Tanzania.
GML Completes Tanzania Community Survey
February 24, 2025
GML wrapped its first community survey in Nkinga District, coastal Tanzania. The project will support six GML research projects:
Can Media Messages Influence Support for Intimate Partner Violence? By Kasim Abdallah, Noela Ringo, and Kate SantaMaria
The Effect of Climate Change News, by Salma Emmanuel and Alex Brown
Blame Game: How Watchdog Journalism Focuses Responsibility, by Francis Nyonzo, Benjamin Risley, and Zakayo Zakaria
Drivers of Solar Demand, by Salma Emmanuel
How Courts and Religious Authorities Influence Social Attitudes, by Salma Emmanuel, Benjamin Risley, and Kate SantaMaria
Barriers to Reintegration of Human Trafficking Victims, by Isabella Tang
The research would not have been possible without the leadership of the Economic and Social Research Foundation and the field leadership of lead manager Neema Msechu and assistant manager Andrew Lusakelo.
They led a fantastic team of enumerators: Husna Haruna Majura, Michael Zuakulu, Asha Rashid Matimu, David Maurilio Lumato, Sylivana Gotrid Karia, Anselem Richard Kadallah, Lucia Nyambo, Shehe Omary Shehe, Angela Jacob Kitali, Hamza Hassan Mtinanga, Careen Ringo, Thomas Nkondola, Violet Urio.
GML at African Studies Association in Chicago
December 14, 2024
GML student researchers Benjamin Risley and Kate SantaMaria and GML researcher Francis Nyonzo presented research at the 2024 African Studies Association meeting in San Francisco. Risley and Nyonzo presented on "How Watchdog Journalism Facilitates Political Accountability: Experimental Evidence from Tanzania " and SantaMaria presented "Class, Tribe, and Gender: The Determinants of Court Shopping in Rural Tanzania", cowritten with GML researcher Noela Ringo.
Social Media Activism for Indigenous Land Rights, by GML Student Alana Kipnis
November 17, 2024
GML Student Alana Kipnis wrote an overview of her research project "Social Media Activism for Indigenous Land Rights." She will soon be conducting an experiment to test her theories of effective activism.
How Local Radio in Tanzania Can Boost Climate Change Awareness, by GML Researcher Salma Emmanuel
October 20, 2024
GML Scholar Salma Emmanuel published an overview of her research on "How Local Radio in Tanzania Can Boost Climate Change Awareness." She will soon be launching an expanded version of the study in Tanga.
Zakayo Zakaria Recognized by J-PAL's Africa Scholar Spotlight
October 20, 2024
GML Scholar Zakayo Zakaria was featured in the Jameel Poverty Action Lab's Africa Scholar spotlight for his ongoing research on food security in Tanzania.
Afya Yako at Mercury Project Summit in Nairobi
October 4, 2024
GML Scholars Zakayo Zakaria and Dylan Groves presented the preliminary results of the Afya Yako project at the Social Science Research Council's solutions summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
Launch of Human Trafficking Initiative Pilot
September 23, 2024
Innovations for Poverty Action's Human Trafficking Initiative (IPA) has announced the launch of the project "Leveraging Local Religious Leaders to Counter Human Trafficking in Rural Tanzania" with Beatrice Montano and GML researchers Salma Emmanuel and Dylan Groves. GML summer fellow Isabella Tang (pictured) is a lead researcher on the project.
Salma Emmanuel Presents on Climate Change News at American Political Science Association Mini-Conference
September 7, 2024
Salma Emmanuel presented "The Effect of Climate Change News on Public Opinion about the Environment" at the Environmental Policy mini-conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The paper uses a survey experiment to test the effect of climate change news on rural Tanzanians' knowledge, attitudes, and willingness to take action to respond to climate change.
Zakayo Zakaria Presents Afya Yako results to to National Government in Tanzania
September 7, 2024
Zakayo Zakaria and ESRF met with Dr. Tumaini Kengia, the Coordinator for Regional Health Management in Tanzania, Health System Strengthening Resource Centre, Emergency Medical Services and Research & Publication. He presented early results of the Afya Yako health project.
They discussed the Afya Yako project. Dr. Kengia was very excited about the project and recommended follow up dissemination including the national Regional and Distric Medical Officer forum. Zakaria will also present to the Chief Medical Officer Forum at the Ministry of Health
GML Summer Fellow Reflections
August 20, 2024
This summer, five Global Media Lab Summer Fellows travelled to Tanzania to support GML research projects of their choosing: Benjamin Risley, Alana Kipnis, Saira Ali, Alexander Brown, and Isabella Tang. They worked on projects focused on pastoralism, public health services, economic development, and combatting human trafficking.
Read there reflections here.
Zakayo Zakaria leads JPAL Leaders Training
July 10, 2024
GML Researcher Zakayo Zakaria helped lead an intensive 4.5 day workshop, "Conducting Experimental Research", in partnership with Economic and Social Research Foundation and Busara. The course was designed for researchers from across Sub-Saharan Africa and focused on the theory and practice of randomized evaluations. Zakaria presented the research design, early results, and lessons learned from GML's Afya Yako project.
ESRF Begins National Review of TZ Health Facilities
July 2, 2024
The Economic and Social Research Foundation team, led by GML Researchers Zakayo Zakaria, Noela Ringo, Brenda Nyambo, and Marco Kitundu, launched a nation-wide audit of 465 health facilities in Tanzania. The launch comes after training 48 enumerators at the ESRF office in Dar es Salaam. The audit is a key part of the Afya Yako health program supported by the Social Science Research Foundation and New Ventures Fund.
Latin American Journalism Review on UNESCO journalism report
April 29, 2024
Mariana Alvarado released a report in the Latin American Research Review: "UNESCO report confirms quality journalism essential for democracy, accountability and civic engagement."
Summer GML Fellows to Work with ESRF in Tanzania
May 5, 2024
Five GML Summer Fellows from Lafayette College will travel to Tanzania to intern with the Economic and Social Research Foundation this summer: Ben Risley, Alana Kipnis, Alex Brown, Saira Ali, and Isabella Tang.
Project Syndicate publishes "Quality Journalism is More Important Than Ever"
April 19, 2024
Joseph E Stiglitiz, Anya Schiffrin, and GML Researcher Dylan W Groves published "Quality Journalism is More Important than Ever" in Project Syndicate.
UNESCO Publishes "Journalism for Development"
April 11, 2024
Joseph E Stiglitiz, Anya Schiffrin, and GML Researcher Dylan W Groves published "Journalism for development: the role of journalism promoting democracy and political accountability and sustainable development" in collaboration with UNESCO.
Marco Kitundu Presents "The Supply of Watchdog Journalism" at the Midwest Political Science Associate Conference
April 5, 2024
GML Researcher Marco Kitundu presented his research paper "The Supply of Watchdog Journalism" at the Midwest Political Science Association Conference in Chicago. The paper was co-authored with GML Researcher Dylan W Groves, and GML practitioner Isakwisa Mbyale.
Salma Emmanuel Presents "The Persuasive Power of Supreme Courts" at the Midwest Political Science Associate Conference
April 5, 2024
GML Researcher Salma Emmanuel presented her research paper "The Persuasive Power of Supreme Courts" at the Midwest Political Science Association Conference in Chicago. The paper was co-authored with Donald P Green (pictured), GML Researcher Dylan W Groves, Constantine Manda, Beatrice Mantano, and Bardia Rahmani
Noela Ringo Presents "SMS Campaign to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Take-up in Tanzania" to African Politics Conference Group
April 1, 2024
GML Researcher Noela Ringo presented her research paper "SMS Campaign to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Take-up in Tanzania" to the African Politics Conference Group (APCG) Colloquium. The paper was co-authored with Constantine Manda, Said Rashid, Christina Fille, Anelisa Rushaigo, and Andrew Kilale
Noela Ringo Presents "SMS Campaign to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Take-up in Tanzania" in Argentina
March 14, 2024
GML Researcher Noela Ringo presented her research paper "SMS Campaign to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Take-up in Tanzania" at the Universidad Nacional de la Plata in Argentina. The paper was co-authored with Constantine Manda, Said Rashid, Christina Fille, Anelisa Rushaigo, and Andrew Kilale
Measuring Journalism’s Impact — What We Know Now That We Didn’t Before
March 13, 2024
Anya Schiffrin and GML Researcher Dylan W Groves published an overview of their new collaboration with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists at the Global Investigative Journalism Network.
7 Things to Know About Measuring Impact in Journalism
December 14, 2023
Anya Schiffrin and GML Researcher Dylan W Groves published an key lessons from a recent review of a taxonomy of media impact at the International Journalism Network.
Salma Emmanuel presents "The Persuasive Power of Supreme Courts" at the Africa Studies Association
December 2, 2023
GML Researcher Salma Emmanuel presented "The Persuasive Power of Supreme Courts" to the African Studies Association conference in San Francisco. The GML team, led by Salma and Hasnat Aslam, will incorporate feedback for another round of data collection in Tanzania in January 2024. Dylan W Groves also presented GML research on government responses to watchdog journalism.
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