#resistance: Exploring digital protest by marginalised groups

This two-day event will bring together students, early career researchers (ECRs) and established academics in diverse fields with advocates working on daily resistance and online activism.

In recent years, there has been an explosion of research on the role of social media in contemporary social movements like Black Lives Matter, Occupy Wall Street, Indignados movement and the Arab Spring. Yet, little attention has been brought to the everyday use of social media as a tool of resistance to challenge unequal gender, racial, colonial and economic relations. This two-day event will bring together students, early career researchers (ECRs) and established academics in diverse fields with advocates working on daily resistance and online activism.

Having a hybrid event would mean that our carbon footprint would reduce significantly (although not entirely) and most importantly, panellists from around the world would be able to participate without having to travel. This type of model challenges hierarchical geopolitical power relations regarding the production and dissemination of knowledge. Having virtual participations -through podcasts, live streaming, online Q & A, pre-recorded videos on YouTube will allow this emerging network to establish a dynamic dialogue with our peers in the Global South that might be restricted because of money and visa-related issues.

Programme

Day 1

• 09:30 – 10:00 Registration and Welcome (School of Geography Foyer)
• 10:00 – 11:00 Keynote Speaker Dr Francesca Sobande (University of Cardiff, UK) – The Politics of “Protest” Memes, Digital Remix Culture and Resistance
• 11:00 – 11:15 Coffee break
• 11:15 – 12:45 Panel 1 - Combating the state through social media (Dr Dilip Chakravarthy, Anupama Ranawana, Dr Shepherd Mpofu, Dr Jun Liu)
• 12:45 – 13:45 Lunch
• 13:45 – 15:15 Panel 2 Online feminism across the globe – part 1 (Keya Khandaker, Eva Santos, Nandini Archer, Dr Laura Loyola-Hernández)
• 15:15 – 15:45 Cofee Break
• 15:45 – 17:15 Panel 3 Human rights and online activism
• 17:15 – 18:30 Panel 4 Online feminism across the globe – part 2 (Dr Vahideh Golzard, Taiana Catharino, Dr Fergal Quinn and Dr Dr Muireann Prendergast, Zoya Rehman)
• 18:45 – 20:00 Dinner

Day 2

• 10:00 – 11:15 Second Keynote Speaker Goldsmith Anti-Racist Action Group (GARA)
• 11:15 – 12:45 Panel 5 Entertainment and protest in the online stage (Dr Vasilis Galis, Dr Abraham Mena, Dr Bharath Ganesh, Dr Anne Ganzer)
• 12:45 – 13:45 Lunch
• 13:45 – 15:15 Interactive Workshop on online activism and research (part 1)
• 15:15 – 15:45 Cofee Break
• 15:45 – 17:15 Interactive Workshop on online activism and research/closing remarks (part 2)

For further information, please contact Dr Laura Loyola-Hernandez.