Top Stories in Media and Social Change
COMMUNICATION DESIGN
Copycats vs. Fat Cats: the Art & Politics of Remixing and Occupying the Creative Commons
From oral mythology to Homer’s Odyssey, from African ritual objects to Picasso’s paintings, from "The Seven Samurai" to "The Magnificent Seven", from Billy Joel’s "New York State of Mind" to Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind", the list(s) of copycats goes on and on. Why? Because adapting, combining or remixing others' works is a core component of human creative processes and of cultural development since time immemorial. Read more...
EDUCATION
"Powerful Learning Practice" Actualizes Educators, Improves Schools, One Project at a Time
By incorporating elements of action research, appreciative inquiry and distributed communities of practice, PLP has created a laboratory for self-actualization via collaboration that extends past the boundaries of traditional education systems. They blend elements of connectivism and the “wisdom of the crowd” to educate as well as impact systems and processes that effect the communities of participants as well as the educational landscape at large. Read more...
ENTERTAINMENT
Iranian Filmmakers In Jeopardy
Government persecution of Iranian filmmakers is nothing new, but the stakes have ratcheted up in the last year. Jafar Panahi’s un-documentary This Is Not A Film premiered in September at Toronto. The acclaimed Panahi, is under house arrest and forbidden to make a film for 20 years. Read more...
LAW
If Corporations are People, You Can Kiss Our Democracy Goodbye, My Friend…But Wait!
Are citizens of America, as opposed to Citizens United, rallying around the flag to save Old Glory? Are we hearing a loudening hue and cry from our common sense citizenry and more enlightened legislators protesting the “money equals free speech” conclusion of the 2010 US Supreme Court’s majority ruling in the Citizens United vs the Federal Elections Commission case? Read more…
JOURNALISM
Media Influence: The Mohamed Merah Affair
In newspapers, on websites, blogs, and Twitter, heated comments are voiced: was Merah a monster, or a victim of society? Was he a lone gunman, or manipulated? Who helped him edit the film sent to Al-Jazeera? Was Merah comforted in his beliefs by the coverage of this controversial issue? Was he influenced by social media such as Twitter, where anyone can bring evidence, telling their own story? Will he become a symbol or, worse, a model? Read more...
SCIENCE
Citizen Science: There's an App for That
A citizen science resurgence and evolution is emerging. The use of technology has spawned an increase in the number of ordinary people helping collect and report data on a wide variety of subjects. Amateur scientists drawn to a particular topic are helping uncover useful data to aid research in multiple scientific areas. Read more...
