1st Edition

Radio Activism Breaking the Silence and Empowering Women

By Annette Rimmer Copyright 2022
    164 Pages 2 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    164 Pages 2 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    This unique book draws on the narratives of women participants in community radio, using intersectionality, feminist, critical psychological and community development frameworks to explore how this highly symbolic, creative dimension of activism can unmute marginalised women and enrich corporate media.

    Over a period of four years, twelve female radio project volunteers offer their experiences which they analyse, together as part of the RRG (Radio Research Group), alongside a conceptual and contextual framework to produce insights on the gendered nature of silence, voice and empowerment, and the wider potential of radio activism. Employing literature from a variety of fields, from bell hooks to Stuart Hall, the book foregrounds evidence from the majority world to argue the empowerment potential of community radio and the barriers to radio participation. Through this analysis community radio emerges as a site of development, from which diverse identities transpire through laughter, dialogue, raised consciousness and solidarity, but it also exposes the conflicts of empowerment by recognising inherent tensions in womanhood and in communities.

    Centering on the global, hegemonic challenge of empowering women, and relevant across multiple disciplines and professions, this is fascinating reading for academics, students and professionals in psychology, gender studies, media studies, development and related areas.

    Introduction

    Rationale

    Why Women?

    Why Radio?

    Why Feminist Pedagogy?

    The Importance of Participation in Uncertain Times

    Structure of the Book

    1. The Radio Research Group
      1. Introduction
      2. Meet the Women
      3. Methodological Issues and Cautions
      4. Practical Research with the Radio Research Group
      5. A Word about Transcription
      6. Research Diary
      7. Analysis
      8. World Café
      9. A Cautionary Note about Participatory Research

        10.  Conclusion

    2. Listen Up! Radio’s Potential Explored
      1. Introduction
      2. Shout FM in Context
      3. Radio Around the World
      4. Conclusion

    3. Radio Training: Feminist Pedagogy in Action
      1. Introduction
      2. On the Day of the Radio Training, I was Terrified!
      3. School wasn’t for me
      4. The Activism of Feminist Pedagogy
      5. Conclusion

    4. Silence and Voice
      1. Introduction
      2. Silence
      3. Hearing Different Voices
      4. Disembodied Voices
      5. Telling our Own Stories
      6. A Word about Intersectionality
      7. Conclusion

    5. Radio Activism: Dancing in the Kitchen
      1. Introduction
      2. The Conflicts of Empowerment
      3. Feminist Radio Pedagogy
      4. Women and Technology
      5. Lightbulb Moments
      6. Dancing in the Kitchen
      7. Conclusion

    6. Feeling Ten Feet Tall
      1. Introduction
      2. Women and Empowerment
      3. Women-Only Radio Training
      4. Radio Activism in a Time of Covid
      5. Unmuting Women: Zoom Radio and Talking in Pidgin
      6. Conclusion

    7. The Mythical Sankofa Bird, Looking Back and Imagining the Future
      1. Introduction
      2. Understanding How to Engage and Retain Diverse Women in Radio
      3. There is no One Womanhood
      4. Dimensions of Empowerment
      5. Media is not the Issue, Justice is the Issue

    Appendix: Profiles of the Radio Research Group Members

    References

    Biography

    Annette Rimmer is a radio producer and lecturer at the University of Manchester, UK. Her research is in media & social justice, feminist pedagogy, Social Policy, Urban/Rural Sociology and generally Feminist Social Research.