Sulafa Zidani examines the transnational power dynamics within the creative practices of online publics.
Civic Media Insights: Jabari Evans, “The Anatomy of Digital Clout(chasing): Examining Social Media Visibility, Relational Labor and Empowerment Strategies of Black Youth in Chicago’s Drill Rap Scene”
Jabari Evans explores the content and character of Drill rap artists’ work on social media toward acquiring “clout”- a digital form of influence rooted in Hip-Hop that allows marginalized youth to leverage digital tools in building social status.
Civic Media Insights: Rogelio Alejandro Lopez, “Rebels with a Cause: Youth, Social Movements, and Media”
Using a mixed-methods, and multi-framework approach — social movements and participatory politics — Rogelio Lopez examines notable instances of youth protest and contextualizes them within broader movements to center and prioritize generational and intersectional social justice claims and grievances.
Civic Media Insights: Rachel Kuo, “Movement Media: Racial Solidarities Across Platforms”
Looking at processes behind media-making and information sharing, this talk by Rachel Kuo demonstrates ways that racial justice movements create and sustain connections across incommensurable and uneven racial differences.
Civic Media Insights: Burcu Baykurt, “The City as Data Machine: Local Governance in the Age of Big Data”
Burcu Baykurt on how Kansas City officials and civic entrepreneurs ignored the needs of already-vulnerable groups, downplayed their legitimate concerns about automated surveillance, and neglected the “data deserts” that they had created.
