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media_activism [2024/01/08 01:10] – Major revision for Spring 2024 ntnsndrmedia_activism [2026/01/09 15:17] (current) – ntnsndr
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 ## Instructor ## Instructor
  
-Nathan Schneider (he/him)    +Nathan Schneider   
 <nathan.schneider@colorado.edu>    <nathan.schneider@colorado.edu>   
 Armory 1B24 Armory 1B24
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 ## Objectives ## Objectives
  
-  * Cultivate habits of media activism by doing it through passionate, strategic, pragmatic advocacy 
   * Analyze theories and lessons from a wide range of social-change campaigns throughout history and around the world   * Analyze theories and lessons from a wide range of social-change campaigns throughout history and around the world
   * Articulate a theory of change that informs media practice   * Articulate a theory of change that informs media practice
 +  * Cultivate habits of media activism by doing it through passionate, strategic, pragmatic advocacy
   * Create a ready-to-deploy media intervention in collaboration with community partners   * Create a ready-to-deploy media intervention in collaboration with community partners
  
 ## Expectations ## Expectations
  
-### Weekly +As a foundation for all else, students are expected to complete the weekly reading assignments. This does not necessarily mean a microscopic reading of every page, but it does mean engaging rigorously with portions of particular interest, as well as familiarizing oneself with the works as a whole and thinking critically about their interconnections. Come to class prepared with notes on specific quotations and ideas that you want to discuss.
- +
-Students are expected to complete the weekly reading assignments. This does not necessarily mean microscopic reading of every page, but it does mean engaging rigorously with portions of particular interest, as well as familiarizing oneself with the works as a whole and thinking critically about their interconnections.+
  
-#### Interventions (30%)+### Interventions (30%)
  
 Most weeks, students turn in an Intervention. These Interventions are simple, informal multimedia sketches that contain a) a challenge or problem related to the week's texts and b) an outline for an original strategy that addresses it. Interventions need not be realistic for students to carry out; students may imagine themselves as representing better-resourced organizations, real or imaginary. The purpose of this assignment is to explore our own sense of agency and to exercise adventuresome thinking. Over the course of the semester, a student's Interventions may address various topics, or they can connect in a way that builds toward the final project. Most weeks, students turn in an Intervention. These Interventions are simple, informal multimedia sketches that contain a) a challenge or problem related to the week's texts and b) an outline for an original strategy that addresses it. Interventions need not be realistic for students to carry out; students may imagine themselves as representing better-resourced organizations, real or imaginary. The purpose of this assignment is to explore our own sense of agency and to exercise adventuresome thinking. Over the course of the semester, a student's Interventions may address various topics, or they can connect in a way that builds toward the final project.
  
-Interventions may take the form of a drawing, infographic, game, video, skit, text, art installation, business plan, social media campaign, or other media, digital or otherwise. In any case, they must be submitted digitally as a new thread in the appropriate discussion topic for each week's unit. They should amount to the equivalent of one interesting page's worth of material. Each Intervention should:+Interventions may take the form of a drawing, infographic, game, video, skit, text, art installation, business plan, social media campaign, or other media, digital or otherwise. In any case, they must be submitted digitally as a new thread in the appropriate discussion topic for each week's unit. They should amount, roughly, to the equivalent of the material that could fit on two sides of a piece of paper. Each Intervention should:
  
-  * Demonstrate a sophisticated grasp of assigned texts +  * Demonstrate a sophisticated grasp of assigned texts through direct and sustained engagement 
-  * Communicate a problem and a creative proposal by which to address it, expressed through appropriate and engaging media+  * Communicate a problem and a creative proposal by which to address it, expressed through appropriate media
   * Practice adventuresome thinking in both concept and presentation, using compelling media techniques to communicate the proposal   * Practice adventuresome thinking in both concept and presentation, using compelling media techniques to communicate the proposal
  
-Students are invited to view and comment on each other's Interventions.+Students are invited to view and comment on each other's Interventions on Canvas. They will also help guide our class discussions each week.
  
-#### Class discussions (30%)+### Class discussions (30%)
  
-Students should be active participants and make contributions to the oral discussion that reflect strenuous [[engagement with assigned sources|engagement]] with the assigned texts. Come prepared to contribute original analysis, reflections, and critique.+Students should be active participants and make contributions to the oral discussion that reflect strenuous [[engagement with assigned sources|engagement]] with the assigned texts. Come prepared to contribute original analysis, reflections, and critique. Bring notes with questions and quotations to ground our discussions. To help maintain our collective focus, use of screen devices in class is strongly discouraged.
  
 Evaluation of discussion contributions takes place twice: at the middle of the semester and at the end. Students are expected to: Evaluation of discussion contributions takes place twice: at the middle of the semester and at the end. Students are expected to:
  
-  * Engage actively and strenuously with the bulk of each unit's assigned texts, demonstrating direct quotations, evidence of close reading, and thoughtful analysis+  * Engage actively and strenuously with the bulk of each unit's assigned texts through direct quotations, evidence of close reading, and thoughtful analysis
   * Interact respectfully and critically with fellow students, demonstrating careful attention to others and presenting reasoned articulations of one's views   * Interact respectfully and critically with fellow students, demonstrating careful attention to others and presenting reasoned articulations of one's views
  
 Participation in all sessions is an expectation for the course. Full or partial absences from class, due to circumstances beyond the student's control, should be discussed with the instructor in advance. Participation in all sessions is an expectation for the course. Full or partial absences from class, due to circumstances beyond the student's control, should be discussed with the instructor in advance.
 +
 +Before the end of each evaluation period, you are welcome to propose the grade you think you have earned with a one-paragraph explanation, in the relevant assignment in Canvas. The instructor will determine final grade, taking your input into account. 
  
 ### Final project (40%) ### Final project (40%)
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 Each student will complete a final project that is ready to deploy upon completion, in partnership with a relevant organization, community, or mentor. Projects might consist of any sort of media intervention appropriate to the student's social-change goals. Projects do not need to be publicly released, but they should be plausibly ready for doing so. Accountability to partners is paramount; it is natural and expected that the project will evolve through the dynamics of collaboration. Each student will complete a final project that is ready to deploy upon completion, in partnership with a relevant organization, community, or mentor. Projects might consist of any sort of media intervention appropriate to the student's social-change goals. Projects do not need to be publicly released, but they should be plausibly ready for doing so. Accountability to partners is paramount; it is natural and expected that the project will evolve through the dynamics of collaboration.
  
-After discussing the topic with the instructor, students will turn in a proposal that explains and justifies the project's objective and medium. The proposal, as well as the final project itself, should reflect a sophisticated grasp of the themes and texts of the course. In particular, projects should convey an analysis of power and agency through which they intervene, resulting in a plausible case for making meaningful social change.+After discussing the topic with the instructor, students will turn in a proposal that explains and justifies the project's objective and medium. The proposal, as well as the final project itself, should reflect a sophisticated grasp of the themes and texts of the course. In particular, projects should convey an analysis of power and agency through which they intervene, resulting in a plausible case for contributing to meaningful social change.
  
 Students will constructively review complete drafts of each other's projects before submitting the final draft. A project statement must be turned in with the final project, in both the draft and final stages, which may be a revised and updated reworking of the proposal. Students will constructively review complete drafts of each other's projects before submitting the final draft. A project statement must be turned in with the final project, in both the draft and final stages, which may be a revised and updated reworking of the proposal.
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     * Include strong evidence of background research, engaging relevant primary and [[:scholarly sources|scholarly sources]], along with at least two assigned texts from the course     * Include strong evidence of background research, engaging relevant primary and [[:scholarly sources|scholarly sources]], along with at least two assigned texts from the course
   * Complete draft: **(10%)**   * Complete draft: **(10%)**
-    * Draft of the project that fully represents the intended scope and quality +    * Circulate a draft of the project that fully represents the intended scope and quality 
-    * Updated project statement with the same specifications as the proposal+    * Include an updated project statement with the same specifications as the proposal
   * Peer review: **(10%)**   * Peer review: **(10%)**
     * Provide feedback for at least two fellow students' drafts, of at least two paragraphs each, with [[:peer review|these suggestions]] in mind     * Provide feedback for at least two fellow students' drafts, of at least two paragraphs each, with [[:peer review|these suggestions]] in mind
   * Final draft: **(40%)**   * Final draft: **(40%)**
     * Produce a media intervention that is polished, compelling, informed by peer review, and ready to deploy     * Produce a media intervention that is polished, compelling, informed by peer review, and ready to deploy
-    * Include a project statement that meets the same specifiations as the proposal 
     * Demonstrate collaborative engagement with community partner, such as through testimonies or other evidence of their participation     * Demonstrate collaborative engagement with community partner, such as through testimonies or other evidence of their participation
     * Present a promising strategy for circulation, audience, and social change     * Present a promising strategy for circulation, audience, and social change
 +    * Include a project statement that meets the same specifications as the proposal
  
-#### Evaluation+### Evaluation
  
 Based on the stated point structure, grades will be awarded as follows: A (94-100), A- (90-93), B+ (87-89), B (83-86), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72), D+ (67-69), D (63-66), D- (60-62), F (0-59). The minimum passing grade is 60 for undergraduates and 70 for graduate students. Based on the stated point structure, grades will be awarded as follows: A (94-100), A- (90-93), B+ (87-89), B (83-86), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72), D+ (67-69), D (63-66), D- (60-62), F (0-59). The minimum passing grade is 60 for undergraduates and 70 for graduate students.
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 Extensions under extenuating circumstances are possible by arrangement with the instructor prior to the due date; otherwise, late work is subject to a penalty of one letter grade per day. Extensions under extenuating circumstances are possible by arrangement with the instructor prior to the due date; otherwise, late work is subject to a penalty of one letter grade per day.
  
 +Use of generative AI is permitted but should be credited as such and must not serve as a substitute for doing your own thinking, writing, and work.
 ## Agreements ## Agreements
  
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   * We adhere to all [[university policies]], as well as course guidelines on [[academic honesty]]; we take responsibility for understanding them and the relevant procedures.   * We adhere to all [[university policies]], as well as course guidelines on [[academic honesty]]; we take responsibility for understanding them and the relevant procedures.
   * We strive to accommodate disabilities and other diverse needs, making use of our own capacities and [[campus resources]]. Please discuss any particular support you require with the instructor.   * We strive to accommodate disabilities and other diverse needs, making use of our own capacities and [[campus resources]]. Please discuss any particular support you require with the instructor.
 +
  
 ## Shared texts ## Shared texts
  
-Throughout the course we will be reading classics in social-change theory alongside two books by leading media scholars:+Throughout the course we will be reading classics in social-change theory alongside two free, open-access books by leading media scholars:
  
-  * Zeynep Tufekci, _[Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest](https://www.twitterandteargas.org/downloads/twitter-and-tear-gas-by-zeynep-tufekci.pdf)_ (Yale University Press, 2017) 
   * Sasha Costanza-Chock, _[Design Justice: Community-Led Practices to Build the Worlds We Need](https://design-justice.pubpub.org/)_ (MIT Press, 2020)   * Sasha Costanza-Chock, _[Design Justice: Community-Led Practices to Build the Worlds We Need](https://design-justice.pubpub.org/)_ (MIT Press, 2020)
 +  * Zeynep Tufekci, _[Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest](https://www.twitterandteargas.org/downloads/twitter-and-tear-gas-by-zeynep-tufekci.pdf)_ (Yale University Press, 2017)
  
-### 1. Theories of change 
  
-  * Saul Alinsky, "[The Education of an Organizer](https://archive.org/details/RulesForRadicals/page/n77/mode/2up)," in _Rules for Radicals: A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals_ (Random House, 1971) +### 1. Theories of change: Uprisings
-  * Audre Lorde, "['The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House,'](https://monoskop.org/images/2/2b/Lorde_Audre_1983_2003_The_Masters_Tools_Will_Never_Dismantle_the_Masters_House.pdf)" in Cherrie Moraga and Gloria Anzaldua (eds.), _This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color_ (New York: Kitchen Table Press). +
-  * Donella Meadows, "[Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System](http://www.donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system/)," (Donella Meadows Institute, 1999)+
  
-### 2. "A networked public"+  * Franz Fanon, “[Spontaneity: Its Strength and Weakness](http://burawoy.berkeley.edu/Reader.101/Fanon.IV.pdf),” in _[The Wretched of the Earth](https://abahlali.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Frantz-Fanon-The-Wretched-of-the-Earth-1965.pdf)_ (Grove, 1963 [1961]) 
 +  * Combahee River Collective, "[A Black Feminist Statement](https://www.jstor.org/stable/24365010)" (1977) 
 +  * Gene Sharp, "{{:lib:sharp-nonviolentstrugglemedia.pdf|Nonviolent Struggle and the Media}}," _Encyclopedia of International Media and Communications_, vol. 3 (Elsevier Science, 2003)
  
-  * Prologue, introduction, and chapters 1--2 in Tufekci, _Twitter and Tear Gas_+### 2. Theories of change: Institutions
  
-### 3. "Making a movement"+  * Donella Meadows, "[Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System](http://www.donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system/)," (Donella Meadows Institute, 1999) 
 +  * Martin Luther King, Jr., "[Letter from Birmingham Jail](https://letterfromjail.com/)" (April 16, 1963) 
 +  * Christopher F. Rufo, "[The New Right Activism](https://christopherrufo.com/p/the-new-right-activism)" (January 9, 2024) and "[The Conservative Activist Pushing Trump to Attack US Colleges](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/11/podcasts/the-daily/christopher-rufo-dei-critical-race-theory.html)," _New York Times_ (April 11, 2025)
  
-  * Chapters 3--4 in Tufekci, _Twitter and Tear Gas_+### 3. "The matrix of domination"
  
-### 4. "A protester's tools"+  * Introduction and chapters 1--2 in Costanza-Chock, _Design Justice_
  
-  * Part II in Tufekci, _Twitter and Tear Gas_+### 4. "Narratives" and "Sites"
  
-### 5. "After the protests"+  * Chapters 3--4 in Costanza-Chock, _Design Justice_
  
-  * Part III and Epilogue in Tufekci, _Twitter and Tear Gas_+### 5. "Pedagogies"
  
-*By this time, consult with instructor on final project topic.*+  * Chapter 5 and "Directions for Future Work" in Costanza-Chock, _Design Justice_
  
 ### 6. Case study ### 6. Case study
  
-Choose an historical example of a social movement from [Beautiful Trouble](https://beautifultrouble.org/case/), [Beautiful Rising](https://beautifulrising.org/type/story), or the [Global Nonviolent Action Database](https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/). Consider it in light of the book we just read. Do some additional research to examine the mediated components of it, and prepare to present an analysis in class as your Intervention.+Choose an historical example of a social movement from the [Beautiful Trouble Toolbox](https://beautifultrouble.org/toolbox/story), the [Global Nonviolent Action Database](https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/), or other resources you find in your research. Consider it in light of the book we just read. Do some additional research to examine the mediated components of it, and prepare to present an analysis in class as your Intervention.
  
-### 7. Media tactics+*By this time, consult with instructor on final project topic.* 
 + 
 +### 7. Mobilizing publics
  
-  * Paulo Freire, chapter 2 in _[The Pedagogy of the Oppressed](https://envs.ucsc.edu/internships/internship-readings/freire-pedagogy-of-the-oppressed.pdf)_ (Continuum, 2005 [1970]) 
   * Marshall Ganz, "[Public Narrative, Collective Action, and Power](https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/29314925/Public_Narrative_Collective_Action_and_Power.pdf)," in Sina Odugbemi and Taeku Lee (eds.), _Accountability Through Public Opinion: From Inertia to Public Action_ (The World Bank, 2011)   * Marshall Ganz, "[Public Narrative, Collective Action, and Power](https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/29314925/Public_Narrative_Collective_Action_and_Power.pdf)," in Sina Odugbemi and Taeku Lee (eds.), _Accountability Through Public Opinion: From Inertia to Public Action_ (The World Bank, 2011)
-  * Martin Luther King, Jr., "[Letter from Birmingham Jail](https://letterfromjail.com/)" (April 16, 1963)+  * Sarah J. Jackson and Brooke Foucault Welles, "[Hijacking #MYNYPD: Social Media Dissent and Networked Counterpublics](https://doi.org/10.1111/jcom.12185)," _Journal of Communication_ 65, no. 6 (2015) 
 +  * Zizi Papacharissi, "[Affective Publics and Structures of Storytelling: Sentiment, Events and Mediality](https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2015.1109697)," _Information, Communication, and Society_ 19, no. 3 (2016)
  
-### 8. "The Matrix of Domination"+### 8. Twitter and Tear Gas: Part I
  
-  * Introduction and chapters 1--2 in Costanza-Chock, _Design Justice_+  * Prologue, introduction, and chapters 1--4 in Tufekci, _Twitter and Tear Gas_
  
 *Project proposal due; no Intervention.* *Project proposal due; no Intervention.*
  
-### 9. "Narratives" and "Sites"+### 9. Twitter and Tear Gas: Part II
  
-  * Chapters 3--4 in Costanza-Chock, _Design Justice_+  * Part II in Tufekci, _Twitter and Tear Gas_
  
-### 10. "Pedagogies"+### 10. Twitter and Tear Gas: Part III
  
-  * Chapter 5 and "Directions for Future Work" in Costanza-Chock, _Design Justice_+  * Part III and Epilogue in Tufekci, _Twitter and Tear Gas_
  
 ### 11. Case study ### 11. Case study
  
-Choose an historical example of a social movement from [Beautiful Trouble](https://beautifultrouble.org/case/), [Beautiful Rising](https://beautifulrising.org/type/story), or the [Global Nonviolent Action Database](https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/). Consider it in light of the book we just read. Do some additional research to examine the mediated components of it, and prepare to present an analysis in class as your Intervention.+Choose an historical example of a social movement from the [Beautiful Trouble Toolbox](https://beautifultrouble.org/toolbox/story), the [Global Nonviolent Action Database](https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/), or other resources you find in your research. Consider it in light of the book we just read. Do some additional research to examine the mediated components of it, and prepare to present an analysis in class as your Intervention.
  
-### 12. Glimpses of change+*No class.*
  
-  * Walidah Imarisha, "[All Organizing Is Science Fiction](https://archive.org/details/podcast_umass-amherst-history-departme_walidah-imarisha-all-organiz_1000423858347)," History Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst (November 13, 2018) +### 12. Aftermaths
-  * Ursula K. Le Guin, "[The Day Before the Revolution](http://www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/tbacig/hmcl3230/3230anth/day.html)" (1974)+
  
-*Project drafts due, and peer review feedback due by Wednesday; no Intervention.*+  * Wu Hung, “[Tiananmen Square: A Political History of Monuments](https://www.jstor.org/stable/2928718),” _Representations_ no. 35 (summer 1991) 
 +  * Nabil Echchaibi, "[In Praise of Arab ‘Defeat’: Another Reading of Arab Struggle](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09502386.2021.2006732)," _Cultural Studies_ 36 (2022) 
 +  * Joan Donovan, Brian Friedberg, and Anissa Gardizy, "[Meme Wars: How the Internet Changed Politics from Occupy to the Insurrection](https://www.wgbh.org/forum-network/lectures/meme-wars-how-the-internet-changed-politics-from-occupy-to-the-insurrection)," GBH (November 18, 2022)
  
-### 13. Final reflections+### 13. Glimpses of change
  
-Choose an historical example of a social movement closely related to your final project. Consider it in light of the last set of readings. Reflect on your final project in light of the case.+  * Ursula K. Le Guin, "[The Day Before the Revolution](http://www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/tbacig/hmcl3230/3230anth/day.html)" (1974) 
 +  * Walidah Imarisha, "[All Organizing Is Science Fiction](https://www.walidah.com/blog/2018/11/24/listen-to-walidahs-umass-amherst-sci-fi-speech)," History Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst (November 13, 2018) 
 +  * Bronwyn Carlson, "[The Future Is Indigenous](http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003271802-3)," in _The Routledge Handbook of Australian Indigenous Peoples and Futures_ (2023)
  
-*Final projects due; no Intervention.* 
  
----+### 14. Final reflections
  
-[ [[note:media_activism|Notes]] ]+Be prepared to discuss lessons from your final project in class. 
 + 
 +*Final projects due; no Intervention.*
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