Republican citizenship, ethics and the French revolutionary press 1789-92

This paper examines the role of the revolutionary press in France in the realisation of the Enlightenment notion of “public opinion”. The press, it is argued, saw itself as advancing civic republicanism based on public service as opposed to the liberal, individualistic ethic of today. Exploring the relevance of Habermas’s theories of discourse ethics and MacIntyre’s notions of “communitarianism”, the paper argues that the revolutionary press promoted a “democratisation” of honour. The conclusion draws on the theories of Sandel to argue that newspapers provided the crucial narratives by which people made sense of their condition and interpreted their shared experiences at a time of revolutionary upheaval

The origins of a public voice for marginalised workers in French India, 1935-37

This article examines how far indigenous communications contributed towards the origins of anti-colonialism in French India, as an empowering voice. They are seen as an example of a politicising move from private to public sphere via print communications. The years 1935-7 reveal a saga of severe economic exploitation, violence and political struggle - a trajectory of social conflict in the public sphere. Local archives, including print publications such as the workers’ Tamil paper Swandanthiram are used as a prism for the analysis of a forgotten episode in the history of a neglected corner of French empire. This article traces the development of the workers’ public voice and characterises this as a form of advocacy journalism, compatible with John Downing’s categorisation of ‘lateral’ and ‘vertical’ campaigning in ‘radical alternative’ publications (1984; 2001,p.x). The way that the move from private to public spheres happened, it is argued, reflects the roots of anti-colonialism communication - at a time when the Left in France was more receptive to anti-fascism as a campaigning tool

Issues in contemporary documentary

Documentary is fast changing: with the digital revolution and the enormous increase in Internet usage, the range of information and outlets for distribution continues to become more diverse. In this context, are the traditional themes and frequently irreconcilable critical positions of study still valid - or are they changing, and if so, how? In short, what are the issues for documentary studies now

Comparative media history, an introduction: 1789 to the present

This book aims to give a greater insight into the modern history of the media by considering influences on developments within a framework that uses a comparative approach to weigh up continuity versu change. This is a study of a selected number of countries and media industries, not cultural or social theory applied to history. As such, the aim is to encourage a broader understanding of cause and effect using the comparative method. Rather than providing a continuous narrative of media development in each country and industry, the study looks at the basic concepts behind the origins of various trends that reveal aspects both of previous developments and of new ones that start to emerge. To this extent it is influenced by the history of political thought, political economy, and economic and social history, as well as communication studies and some media theory. While it is difficult to do justice to all of these disciplines, the reader can borrow from them in order to gain greater insights into the thinking behind major developments, an appreciation of the issues of the past, and the extent to which they remain with us today

Documentary in practice: filmmakers and production choices

Documentary in Practice provides a unique approach to practical documentary making. Through fascinating analysis of real life production experiences, Jane Chapman shows the challenges and issues faced by documentary makers and brings her own personal experience as both documentary producer and teacher to advise on how students can gain invaluable insight from these projects. Throughout this compelling text, ‘work-a-day’ producers provide their inside story and production records, including scripts, fund raising proposals, budgets, diagrams, post-production records and reviews. Across continents every project and its makers are different – whether they be seasoned television freelancers, an art house director, documentary maker activists, or first time film makers. They all face similar challenges, however, including budgetary factors influencing quality, how to connect visual approach to content, the morality of camera presence, conflict with commissioning editors, complaints and ethical challenges, and legal issues and censorship

India’s Narmada dams controversy: interdisciplinary examples of global media advocacy

What sources will contemporary historians use when they reflect on resistance to globalisation by regional and environmental groups such as India's NBA (Narmada Bachao Andolan or 'Save the Narmada Movement')? As the country is the world's third most important dam builder, consistent mass protest against construction of the 3,200 Narmada dams in this enormous river valley over almost 20 years must surely merit further study. Campaigners seem to have developed a sense of history, but how do some of their most well-known international works of communication conform to existing models of media advocacy? This article assesses the nature of two documentary films - Anand Patwardhan's (with Simantini Dhuru) A Narmada Diary (1997) and Fanny Armstrong's Drowned Out (2004) - and the writings of Arundhati Roy, all emanating from the Narmada Dams controversy. As works of advocacy, these media communications popularised the Narmada conflict internationally, and in the process also championed fresh styles of communication. These three works represent interdisciplinary examples which, through their narratives and styles, have brought an extended creative and political repertoire of 'engaged' journalism on development issues to mainstream outlets outside of India. These examples allow us to test the continuing relevance of certain aspects of counter-hegemonic discourses, as presented in existing academic work

Methodological reflections on media and counter hegemonic protest in India

This paper sets the issues and questions for interdisciplinary academic study of local protest with global claims,as it relates to use of the media. The author presents an historical background before then using the example of Arundhati Roy's writing on the Narmada Dams controversy and her essay 'walking with the comrades' on jungle Naxalite protest in India as a vehicle for analysis the uses of new Gramsci'ist counter hegemony theory, combined with elements of Judith Butler's ideas on performance and the media. What do these mean for activist articulations in the media

Transnational connections and the comparative approach

Connections between Britain and non-Anglophone countries have always been strong. Authors, publishers, advertising agents, and other generators and transmitters of popular culture were all well aware of the global marketplace. For examples, Louis James long ago told us of the importance of French literature in the 1840s popular market and Palmegiano has compiled a brief monograph outlining nineteenth-century British views of European journalism in 44 periodicals.1 The question is how can the researcher identify and study them? This article argues that the most obvious way is by using periodicals to research trans-national themes: modernism, “orientalist” trade, cultural and scientific exchange, design and fashion would fall under this heading. Much work has been done on these areas in general, but in periodical studies the field of comparative study beyond the English-speaking world and the British Empire is still relatively unexplored. The author has researched some areas for further exploration, focussing on Germany, France and Japan: science periodicals in Europe, women’s uses of periodicals in late nineteenth century Japan versus Anglophone and European countries, periodicals for ex-patriot communities and satirical publications. Anthology book in which this output was a chapter was winner of the Colby Prize for Victorian Periodicals, 201

Counter hegemony, newspapers and the origins of anti-colonialism in French India

Purpose: to reveal the contribution of counter-hegemonic communications towards the origins of anti-colonialism in French India during the years 1935-7 and thereby to illuminate the relationship between press, economics and ideology in a colonial context. Design/methodology: qualitative study of local archives in Tamil and French, including indigenous print communications such as the workers’ paper Swandanthiram. These are used as a prism for analysis of the development of a workers’ public voice during major textile strikes, and assessed in the light of John Downing’s definitions of advocacy journalism (1984, 2001). Findings: Communications were directly connected to disempowerment and lack of civil, political and economic rights. The formation of legal worker organisations for the first time and a new political party provided the context in which activist leaders adopted a twofold vertical and lateral strategy in their publications, to promote their formative anti-colonial ideas. Research limitations/implications: This research illuminates the relationship between press, economics and ideology in a colonial context, demonstrating the importance of economic factors in rise of nationalist movements and the way press usage is connected to basic civil, political and economic rights. Originality/value The paper traces a forgotten episode in the history of a neglected corner of French empire, significant for the emergence of the indigenous population -including peasant women - for the first time from the private to the public sphere as an organised force- a factor that has previously been ignored by historians

Press, protest and freedom movements in British and French India 1928-48: do subalterns speak?

ABSTRACT : Press, Protest and Freedom Movements in British and French India 1928-48 - do subalterns speak? This paper enquires into the effect (as opposed to simply the existence) of female direct action as communicated in print publications, and female influence on newspapers themselves. It takes two specific examples- first, The Pioneer in British India during a short lived period when this venerable establishment daily (famous for employing Rudyard Kipling) had a liberal editor -F.W.Wilson- who sympathized with the ‘Freedom Movement’. Second, it looks at French India, and in particular the first and only surviving anti establishment Tamil newspaper from the colonial period to the present- the weekly Swandanthiram. How far did women use these organs as an empowering voice during the twilight years of the Raj and during a period in French territories when the seeds for independence movement were first sown? This paper argues that study of press problematises post colonial theory in terms of how far disempowered people can speak, but that the evidence of these two case studies supports the post-Gramsci’ist concept of counter hegemony, in particular the way it has been applied to minority communications (by John Downing (1984, 2001), also by Murdock (2000), Cottle, (2000) and Chapman, (2007). Analysis of The Pioneer shows clear evidence of Wilson’s liberalism in terms of an increases in coverage of female protest – both peaceful educative lobbying, and to a lesser extent, direct action, sometimes involving violence and arrests. He also increased the number of photos of Indian people and letters by them, and encouraged advertisers who were affected by (largely female led) economic boycotts, to advertise more in order to re-gain business. In the case of French India, research also revealed the crucial part played in protest by economic factors- mainly hardship in the textile industry, and protracted strikes where women led picketing. In Pondicherry and other French territories, lack of civil liberties and an unfair voting system further disenfranchised the majority of the population who suffered severe economic deprivation. In fact it was a combination of sporadic censorship and class solidarity that led to the origins of nationalism emerging in communications. The Pioneer’s traditional western ‘bad news’ values ensured coverage of female direct- action - riots, boycotts, cloth burning and strikes helped to promote the cause of freedom movement and also demonstrated Congress Party’s organisational capabilities as a ruling party at a time (1928-33) when most of the male leaders were in jail. However, The Pioneer itself became part of the economic and ideological maelstrom that it was reporting on when Wilson was removed and the paper was sold to a consortium of Indian princes. Findings in both territories show that communications by nationalist women represented a politicising move from private to public spheres. Public communications helped to weaken the economic morale of business and administrative authority and increased solidarity for freedom movements. This in turn illuminates the relationship between press, economics and ideology in a colonial context, demonstrates the importance of economic factors in rise of nationalist movements and acts as a reminder of the way historically the press used is connected to basic civil, political and economic rights