Laura Misch

• BA Media, Communication and Culture
• Activism and new media: Exploring activist’s engagement with digital technologies during the Gezi park protests in

This research looks at activist’s engagement with media technologies during the 2013 Gezi protests in Istanbul. Although the protest was initially self-censored by the mainstream media, on the ground real-time images from the protesters were spread across social media, and symbolic icons quickly emerged. These icons were being remixed and remediated by activists using a multi-medium of tools, but all processed into a digital form and disseminated across social media sites and the blogosphere. From violently graphic to comical yet continuously politically charged, these iconographic visuals were often accompanied only by the text #OCCUPYGEZI, to simultaneously digitally archive and reaffirm solidarity with the protesters. Activists were able to creatively engage through producing and disseminating digital material as a form of cultural activism. Research into the visual aspect of contemporary mediascapes is essential to understanding citizen media in the 21st century, in particular the ways in which mediated visibility has become a powerful strategic tool for political and social change. Through drawing on the collective experiences of activists and academics, this research aims to contribute to the body of work concerning activist use of media technologies and visual protest material.

 Funding Source: Newcastle University Expeditions Committee