1st Edition
Media Activism, Artivism and the Fight Against Marginalisation in the Global South South-to-South Communication
This book analyses a South-to-South connection between media activists and artivists – artists who are activists – in the Global South.
The authors, Andrea Medrado and Isabella Rega, emphasise the urgent need to engage in South-to-South dialogues in order to create more sustainable connections between Global South communities and as an essential step towards identifying and facing global problems, such as state repression, social inequality and climate crises. Medrado and Rega analyse the characteristics of this connection, identify its unique contributions to the study of media and social change and discuss its long-term sustainability. They do so by focusing on instances when media narratives in countries of different Global South(s) intertwine and transform each other; specifically, the exchanges between Latin America (Brazil) and Africa (Kenya). They explore how media activism and artivism can be used as tools for global movement building and to challenge colonial legacies. They also discuss how to connect people with varied skill sets in different Global South contexts, promoting South-to-South solidarity, in a cross-continental challenge to marginalisation.
Crucial reading for students and scholars of media activism, social movements, global media and communication, development studies and international studies, as well as activists and social movement organisations.
1. Understanding Marginalisation and Defining South-to-South Media Activism 2. Favela Media Activism in Brazil: Collective Memories, Dialogues and Media Territories 3. Artivism in Kenya: Mobilising (her)stories, Linking Resources, and Creating Media Territories 4. The Stepping into Visibility Model: Invisible Stories, Protection Strategies, and Link Visibility 5. A Portrait of Marielle: Animation, Artivism and Intersectional Feminism in a Journey from Fear to Hope 6. A Journey to the South: Asking Questions and Learning Concepts Along the Way
Biography
Andrea Medrado is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Media and Communication at the University of Westminster. She is the leader of the Cultural Identities and Social Change theme at the Communication and Media Research Institute (CAMRI) and the Course Leader for the BA Digital Media programme. She also worked as a tenured Associate Professor at the Federal Fluminense University. Currently, she is the Principal Investigator on the project "AI for Social Good?". In 2018–2019, she was a Co-I in the AHRC project "e-Voices: Redressing Marginality". She is currently the Vice President of IAMCR. She has published widely in leading academic journals.
Isabella Rega is an Associate Professor in Digital Media for Social Change at Bournemouth University and Global Research Director at Jesuit Worldwide Learning. She has led several research projects funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council, the British Academy, the British Council, the Swiss National Fund for Research and the Swiss Agency for Cooperation. She has published articles in various journals. She serves on the advisory board of the Journal of Media Literacy Education and is a board member of IDIA (International Development Informatics Association).
Few works are so grounding, refreshing, and hopeful as Medrado and Rega’s book. Leveraging on their decade of artist activist research in Latin America and Kenya, they propose critical insights and tactics to build Global South solidarities, essential for scholars seeking to have social impact using digital and creative tools. – Payal Arora, Professor and Chair in Technology, Values, and Global Media Cultures, Erasmus University Rotterdam
In this important book, Andrea Medrado and Isabella Rega provide an insightful account of the potential of South-to-South communication in building networks for social justice. It highlights the power of research and art for scholars, activists, and practitioners alike.
- Pablo Boczkowski, Professor, Director, MS in Leadership for Creative Enterprises, Northwestern University, USA
