Media Activism in Asia

FILM 4201 B – Topics in National Cinema

Winter term 2014

Topic: Media Activism in Asia

Instructor: Mitsuyo Wada-Marciano

This course examines contemporary documentary and media activism in Asia. Media activism is defined as “a broad category of activism that utilizes media and communication technologies for social and political movements.” (wikipedia).

We often view political movements through television and newspaper, but so-called mainstream media certainly have their own limitations.

In contrast, what can cinema do to express our political concerns? Have documentary films ever produced social change? What are cinema‘s limitations and advantages in terms of media activism? While cinema has been influenced by the recent technological transformation toward the digital, have the changes in production and consumption influenced the medium’s political direction? What are the influences of highly-accessible communication formats such as YouTube and Twitter on media activism?

The digitalization of cinema has brought democratization to many amateur and/or professional documentarians, and they can now record a number of issues in their mundane lives. Did this current situation change tendencies within media activism?

By focusing on these questions, we will analyze documentary films from the P.R.C., Japan and other parts of Asia.

Space is still available:  FILM 4201B Topics in National Cinema – Winter term 2014

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