Digital Activism, Community Media, And Sustainable Communication In Latin America

This book brings together academic and activist work on community media, feminist, decolonial, and Indigenous perspectives to digital activism, including Free and Open Communication in Latin America. The essays in this collection speak to major changes over the past decade that are reshaping digital media uses and practices. The case studies presented here question many commonly held assumptions around global media ownership, sustainability, and access relevant to countries beyond Latin American contexts. Cheryl Martens PhD is Associate Professor of Sociology in the Liberal Arts program at Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Her research and publications concentrate on the sociology and political economy of communication, media policy, and digital activism in South America. Cristina Venegas PhD is Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research focuses on the politics, histories, and formations of global and transnational media, revolutionary media cultures, media historiography, and film festivals with an emphasis on Latin America. Etsa Franklin Sharupi Tapuy is an Amazonian leader of Quijos and Shuar heritage. He is currently the Communication Advisor for the Quijos Nationality (NAOQUI), and a digital journalist (lancero digital) in CONFENIAE's Amazonian community press. As a researcher and Quijos wankiri and Shuar juakmaru (sage leader), he has been a guest lecturer at international conferences in Europe and throughout the Americas, specializing in Quijos history and the anti-colonial hero and leader, Jumandi. He is currently completing a degree in Anthropology at Saliciana University in Ecuador Acknowledgments......Page 5 Contents......Page 7 Notes on Contributors......Page 10 List of Figures......Page 17 List of Tables......Page 20 Transforming Digital Media and Technology in Latin America......Page 21 Introduction......Page 22 Approaching Media and Communication Research in Latin America......Page 24 Decolonial Approaches and Indigenous Cosmovisions......Page 26 Critical Theories of Technology and STS......Page 28 Cyberfeminism......Page 30 An Overview of the Book......Page 31 Part I: Digital Territories and Hybrid Local Experiences......Page 33 Part II: Approaches to Decolonizing Knowledge and Communication......Page 34 Part III: Digital Activism and Resistance......Page 36 Part IV: Strategies for Documenting, Representing, and Strengthening Indigenous Language and Culture......Page 37 Conclusion......Page 38 References......Page 41 Part I: Digital Territories: Transnational and Local Hybrid Experiences......Page 45 Introduction......Page 46 Background: Internet and Radio......Page 48 Methodology......Page 50 Farmworker Community......Page 51 Facebook First......Page 52 Radio Indígena Goes Live on FM......Page 58 Discussion......Page 65 Conclusion......Page 66 References......Page 69 Introduction......Page 72 Theoretical Contribution......Page 77 Experimentation and Learning to Communicate Using Information Technologies......Page 80 Learning to Use Information Technologies in the Neighborhood......Page 83 Sound Sparks Experimentation......Page 85 Mapping the Sounds of the Territory: The Visibility of Local Initiatives......Page 87 Revitalizing Cultural Identity......Page 88 Resignification of the Urban Space......Page 90 Conclusion......Page 93 References......Page 95 Introduction......Page 99 Historical Context and Approach of Wayna Tambo—Diversity Network......Page 100 What Do We Aim to Do with Our Work?......Page 103 How Are Digital Networks Integrated into These Processes?......Page 104 Conclusion: Community-Managed Learning and Moving Toward Technological Sovereignty......Page 110 Reference......Page 111 Part II: Approaches to Decolonizing Knowledge and Communication......Page 112 Open Knowledge, Decolonial, and Intercultural Approaches to Communication Technologies for Mobility: The Achuar Kara Solar Project......Page 113 Introduction......Page 114 Decoloniality, Sumak Kawsay, and Dialogues of Knowledge......Page 115 Technological Hybridization: The Case of Solar Canoes22......Page 122 Lessons Learned: The Significance of the Project for Communication and Technology Studies......Page 127 Conclusions......Page 129 References......Page 135 Introduction......Page 140 The Historical Context of the Hierarchization of Science Research in Latin America......Page 143 The Open Access Movement and the Latin American Experience......Page 146 The Latin American Approach to Open Access......Page 149 Advances and Setbacks in Contemporary Latin American Science Communication......Page 152 Final Words: Open Access in Dispute......Page 156 References......Page 159 Introduction......Page 164 Background......Page 166 Concentration and Monopoly in the Analogue Society......Page 168 Media and Digital Society......Page 170 In Defense of the Digital Commons......Page 172 New Narratives, for New Times......Page 173 References......Page 176 Practitioner Perspective. Autonomous Infrastructures: Community Cell phone Networks in Oaxaca, Mexico......Page 178 Introduction......Page 179 Context......Page 181 Background......Page 182 References......Page 187 Part III: Digital Activism and Resistance......Page 189 Introduction: Digital Activism and the Struggle Against State Violence......Page 190 Methodological Approach: Digital Anthropology......Page 192 From Media Activism, to Media Territories, to Urban Media......Page 196 Maré Vive Is Remembering, Sharing, Connecting, Surviving, and Staying Alive......Page 200 Maré Vive as an Urban (Survival) Infrastructure......Page 205 Concluding Thoughts......Page 210 References......Page 212 Introduction......Page 215 Background Context: The Emergence of a New Social Movement......Page 217 Theoretical Frameworks: Statist Media Power and Mediated Cultural Politics......Page 219 Statist Power and Mediated Delegitimization of Yasunidos......Page 220 Mediated Cultural Politics and Transmedia Strategies......Page 222 Developing a Communication Strategy......Page 223 Yasunidos and the Private Media......Page 224 The “Jiujitsu Strategy”......Page 225 Radio Bemba and Street Presence......Page 226 Concluding Remarks......Page 227 References......Page 230 Introduction......Page 232 Mainstream Media and Alternative Forms of Communications Among the Mapuche......Page 233 Mapuexpress (1996–Present)......Page 235 Azkintuwe (2003–2010)......Page 238 Werken (2012–Present)......Page 239 Websites and Social Media: Between Spontaneity and Strategy......Page 240 Socio-Environmental Conflicts: The Mehuin Pipeline......Page 241 ‘Sumando Voces’ (Adding Voices): Luchsinger Case 1......Page 244 The Defense of Machi Linconao: Luchsinger Case 2......Page 246 Conclusions......Page 248 References......Page 253 Introduction......Page 255 Cyberfeminism from Theory to Practice......Page 256 Cyberactivism in Ecuador from a Feminist Perspective......Page 259 Cyberfeminism in Ecuador: Women on the Net......Page 262 Representation: New Discourses About Women on the Net......Page 267 Possibilities and Challenges......Page 271 References......Page 274 Part IV: Documenting, Representing, and Strengthening Indigenous Language and Culture......Page 277 Introduction......Page 278 Analysis of Coverage in Ecuadorian Media of the Sarayaku Using NewsFrames Tools......Page 281 Reframed Stories As Media Appropriation and Self-Representation......Page 284 What Can We Learn from This Collaborative Project?......Page 286 Self-Representation, Saying/Doing, and Indigenous Visual Narratives from Ecuador......Page 288 Closing Remarks......Page 293 References......Page 294 Challenging Asymmetries of Power and Knowledge Through Learning Communities and Participatory Design in the Creation of Smart Grids in Wayúu Communities......Page 296 Introduction......Page 297 The Context of the Project......Page 299 Company Interests and Partner Relations Before the Project......Page 301 The Analysis of Relationships from the Perspective of Cultural Exchange......Page 304 The Notion of Learning Community in the Design Process......Page 306 Participatory Design: Learning Communities......Page 308 Communities and the Intercultural Spaces of Participatory Design......Page 309 Dialogues and Construction of Meaning......Page 310 The Process with the Community: Modeling the Future......Page 311 Conclusions......Page 315 References......Page 317 Indigenous Journalism in Ecuador: An Alternative Worldview......Page 320 The Context of Indigenous Journalism in Ecuador......Page 322 Methodological Approach......Page 326 Rituals, Icons, and Practices......Page 327 Digital Media Practices......Page 329 Re-signifying Technology......Page 335 An Ending with New Beginnings......Page 336 References......Page 340 Author’s Opening Remarks......Page 344 Introduction......Page 345 The Resurgence of the Quijos Nation and the Kayu Ayllu Shinalla Radio Program......Page 346 The History of the Quijos......Page 348 Shillipanu, the Roots of the Quijos Vernacular Language......Page 349 Digital Strategies and Interactive Programming......Page 351 Evolution of Radio Programming in the Amazon: Lanceros Digitales......Page 352 Digital Documentation, Inter-Institutional Collaborations, and the Quijos Resurgence......Page 353 Challenges and Recommendations for Indigenous Community Radio......Page 355 Conclusions: Strategies for the Revitalization and Empowerment of the Quijos Nation......Page 356 References......Page 360 Index......Page 361