For two years, Clemencia RodrÍguez did fieldwork in regions of Colombia where leftist guerillas, right-wing paramilitary groups, the army, and drug traffickers made their presence felt in the lives of unarmed civilians. Here, RodrÍguez tells the story of the ways in which people living in the shadow of these armed intruders use community radio, television, video, digital photography, and the Internet to shield their communities from armed violence’s negative impacts. Citizens’ media are most effective, RodrÍguez posits, when they understand communication as performance rather than simply as persuasion or the transmission of information. Grassroots media that are deeply embedded in the communities they serve and responsive to local needs strengthen the ability of community members to productively react to violent incursions. RodrÍguez demonstrates how citizens’ media privilege aspects of community life not hijacked by violence, providing people with the tools and the platform to forge lives for themselves and their families that are not entirely colonized by armed conflict and its effects. Ultimately, RodrÍguez shows that unarmed civilian communities that have been cornered by armed conflict can use community media to repair torn social fabrics, reconstruct eroded bonds, reclaim public spaces, resolve conflict, and sow the seeds of peace and stability.

Investigating four cases in which ordinary people gained control over an electronic medium, this volume illustrates aspects of how these alternative and participatory media - or citizen's media - set in motion complex and different communication and cultural dynamics.

This volume of Making Our Media focuses on the praxis of alternative media, including radio, video, film, and Internet initiatives in South and North America, southern Africa, India, Australia, and Europe. Chapter authors consider the relationship between these media and the people they serve, reevaluate established theoretical frameworks, and present new ones for understanding alternative and citizens' media in light of contemporary local and global realities. While some of the authors critically explore the internal operations of citizen's media, including their gender, race and power dynamics, others shed light on how alternative media interact with different political formations, such as the (nation) state and social movements. Grounded in empirical evidence and theoretical insight, the book takes a critical approach to the roles alternative and citizens' media can play in building inclusive, participatory democracies.

This volume of ""Making Our Media"" focuses on the praxis of alternative media, including radio, video, film, and Internet initiatives in South and North America, southern Africa, India, Australia, and Europe. Chapter authors consider the relationship between these media and the people they serve, reevaluate established theoretical frameworks, and present new ones for understanding alternative and citizens' media in light of contemporary local and global realities. While some of the authors critically explore the internal operations of citizen's media, including their gender, race and power dynamics, others shed light on how alternative media interact with different political formations, such as the (nation) state and social movements. Grounded in empirical evidence and theoretical insight, the book takes a critical approach to the roles alternative and citizens' media can play in building inclusive, participatory democracies.

This volume of Making Our Media introduces readers to national and global initiatives spearheaded by civil society groups around the world who seeks to permanently alter the cultural landscape. The chapters present civil society policy initiatives in Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the United States that aim to transform the structures, practices, and norms surrounding communication and culture. The book views communication policy as the principles and action procedures that govern the uses of communication resources. It demonstrates that what is at stake in these efforts is a cultural space worth inhabiting and a strong democratic culture both locally and globally that represents and reflects the full range of social life, creativity, experience, and expression.

For two years, Clemencia RodrÍguez did fieldwork in regions of Colombia where leftist guerillas, right-wing paramilitary groups, the army, and drug traffickers made their presence felt in the lives of unarmed civilians. Here, RodrÍguez tells the story of the ways in which people living in the shadow of these armed intruders use community radio, television, video, digital photography, and the Internet to shield their communities from armed violence’s negative impacts. Citizens’ media are most effective, RodrÍguez posits, when they understand communication as performance rather than simply as persuasion or the transmission of information. Grassroots media that are deeply embedded in the communities they serve and responsive to local needs strengthen the ability of community members to productively react to violent incursions. RodrÍguez demonstrates how citizens’ media privilege aspects of community life not hijacked by violence, providing people with the tools and the platform to forge lives for themselves and their families that are not entirely colonized by armed conflict and its effects. Ultimately, RodrÍguez shows that unarmed civilian communities that have been cornered by armed conflict can use community media to repair torn social fabrics, reconstruct eroded bonds, reclaim public spaces, resolve conflict, and sow the seeds of peace and stability.

Investigating four cases in which ordinary people gained control over an electronic medium, this volume illustrates aspects of how these alternative and participatory media - or citizen's media - set in motion complex and different communication and cultural dynamics.

This volume of Making Our Media focuses on the praxis of alternative media, including radio, video, film, and Internet initiatives in South and North America, southern Africa, India, Australia, and Europe. Chapter authors consider the relationship between these media and the people they serve, reevaluate established theoretical frameworks, and present new ones for understanding alternative and citizens' media in light of contemporary local and global realities. While some of the authors critically explore the internal operations of citizen's media, including their gender, race and power dynamics, others shed light on how alternative media interact with different political formations, such as the (nation) state and social movements. Grounded in empirical evidence and theoretical insight, the book takes a critical approach to the roles alternative and citizens' media can play in building inclusive, participatory democracies.

This volume of ""Making Our Media"" focuses on the praxis of alternative media, including radio, video, film, and Internet initiatives in South and North America, southern Africa, India, Australia, and Europe. Chapter authors consider the relationship between these media and the people they serve, reevaluate established theoretical frameworks, and present new ones for understanding alternative and citizens' media in light of contemporary local and global realities. While some of the authors critically explore the internal operations of citizen's media, including their gender, race and power dynamics, others shed light on how alternative media interact with different political formations, such as the (nation) state and social movements. Grounded in empirical evidence and theoretical insight, the book takes a critical approach to the roles alternative and citizens' media can play in building inclusive, participatory democracies.

This volume of Making Our Media introduces readers to national and global initiatives spearheaded by civil society groups around the world who seeks to permanently alter the cultural landscape. The chapters present civil society policy initiatives in Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the United States that aim to transform the structures, practices, and norms surrounding communication and culture. The book views communication policy as the principles and action procedures that govern the uses of communication resources. It demonstrates that what is at stake in these efforts is a cultural space worth inhabiting and a strong democratic culture both locally and globally that represents and reflects the full range of social life, creativity, experience, and expression.