Democracy Upgrade

I found this interesting video that discusses digital activism and citizen participation in politics.

Living in this post-modern society, we are constantly connected to the Internet. These virtual connections have the potential to act as a powerful impetus for social change. Yet, we haven't taken full advantage of all of the opportunities to have our voices heard by governmental institutions.

In this TED Talk Pia Mancini questions, "What is democracy in the Internet era?" Mancini argues that citizens should have more access and opportunity to participate in political discourse. Participating and voting online, many citizens would feel more encouraged to become involved with politics because they know their voices can and will be heard by governmental institutions. Countries such as Argentina have already implemented this strategy, which proves their willingness to adapt to this technological era. I feel that it’s only a matter of time until America follows suite.

Turbulent by Shirin Neshat

I was lucky to view this audio-visual installation in person a few years ago. Shirin Neshat's piece literally 'moved' me (as we talked about in class). In any case, I think Neshat's work really examines the rhetorical role of place (and even audience) in protest. For the record, in the actual art installation, the man and women are set on huge screens on opposing walls of a small room. It's as if the man and woman are speaking with each other in a very intimate setting. Sussan Deyhim provides the song and vocals for this work--she's a true genius and her voice is transcendent :)

This latest research on censorship in China informs our discussion about digital activism. In this case, a country actively controls protestors ability to organize via social media. However, China does not target political dissidence specifically.
Mining the Internet for Clues to Chinese Censorship