In Activist Media: Documenting Movements and Networking Solidarity, Gino Canella aims to shed light on the intersections among research, activism, and media. Specifically, he sheds light on the ways in which a researcher can engage with activists and attempts to differentiate activist media from traditional media coverage of activist groups. In an activist media setting, the artist behind the camera is not restricted to observing their subject and limiting interaction with them. Instead, an artist engaging in activist media will perform activist duties themselves, ultimately immersing themselves and becoming part of the subject organization’s movement. Canella highlights his time fighting for the causes expressed by Black Lives Matter 5280 (BLM5280) and Service Employees International Union Local 105 (SEIU Local 105), both in Colorado. Beyond the role of the content creator, the author also addresses the limitations of activist media in the pursuit of an organization’s goals.
In Activist Media...
University of California Press