blog 11

Chapter 6 (p. 150 - 170)

“Participatory cultures work together to inform each other about the world and teach communication and organization skills. They help each other find their personal and collective voice…ultimately, these communities encourage conversations about social and political change” (p. 152).

Under what conditions do young people consider themselves political agents? When they can engage in “civic imagination.” (That is: )

a.       When they can feel empathy for others

b.      When they can imagine what a “better” world would look like

It is common among young activists to use “pop culture” references / language associated with pop culture / participatory culture to help advance their causes; often times, this is lost on adults.

Star Trek – a platform to discover representation and idealism? The idea that media (pop culture?) can influence how youth see and interpret the world; how it could inspire them to imagine the way a new one would (should) look. The images of diversity in programs like Star Trek reveal faults in our own reality.

Important to find your own voice as well as finding a collective voice that shares your opinion: “engagement with popular culture might inspire shifts in one’s political identity” (p. 154).

Early engagement actions often turn to activist habits (skills we learn in extracurricular settings that we carry over to our political endeavors).

Networked Power & DREAMer Movement

Mimi: the internet makes information and causes more accessible, but are people really participating (“engaging”) more? She does not think so. The issue of agency ownership arises, in which we do not take responsibility for the participation we contribute to. Issues like welfare and education – more personal and private responsibility and less support; EXAMPLE of Kickstarter. Everyday people need to take responsibility for/in public life? I think what she is saying here is that we need to stop separating the two as much?? Personal and private don’t have to be “either/or” situations.

Danah: (“communicate, coordinate, and advocate”) what kids desire, parents fear. Networked places are great or challenging status quo, but also awful for preserving it. Trying to prevent youth organization, this is not a new concept. Boarder protection, anti-terrorism and illegal immigration act of 2005 – meant for regulating illegal immigrants; treated them very poorly; teens organized against it through a walk-out in LA. The response to their involvement (as it often is) is the kids were admonished for their activism, because they were “throwing their education away” when their predecessors fought so hard to their right to get one. Adults are appalled by political indifference yet terrified of youth involvement. (Perhaps this has to do with fearing a different opinion?) Furthermore, this move was viewed less because of its traditionally political significance, and portrayed more as an act of laziness and vandalism.

Henry: DREAM – development relief education for alien minors; act 2001; conditional permanent residence to teens enrolled in h/s and had been in residence 5 years before bill pass. Effects of DREAMers: united cause, not message, as opposed to previous racially-based causes that were separated by race. Important aspect was for each DREAMer to tell their own story, not every story had to be the same.

The DREAMers were unsuccessful for a time, and began to work locally (in-state, not nationally) until Obama administration signed act much like DREAM. Youth activism helped sway Latino vote, which helped Obama get reelected:

“we see a significant change in public policy largely inspired by youth activism.”

Alternative Activism:

Today’s youth participates primarily online or through digital mediums, however, today’s youth has gotten creative with their protesting. Some of which way are quite different than the way previous generations used to participate. Instead of protests, some groups will boycott (BUYCOTT) a brand in protest instead.

“while participatory politics does raise hope for fostering a more democratic culture, it cannot in and of itself overcome structural inequalities that have historically blocked many form participating in civing and political life.” (161)

What Counts as Political Participation?

Mimi: “fighting the man” isn’t the only way to get involved.

“it is about youth mobilizing to create positive alternatives within existing power structures.” (162). /// not just “adult-guided politics or civics”. So I think here Mimi is saying that political involvement is not enough when it operates within the confines of what adults set before kids/ when kids react and interact with the politics of adults. But rather, there needs to be an inherent initiative on behalf of the youth. What Mimi calls “Big P Politics” (adult-centered) and “little p politics” (extracurricular forms of activism—organization—that develop civic capacity skills, like organizing fan conventions)

StarCraft community = StarCraft Without Borders to help raise money for Doctors Without Borders. Political and civil/ community service/ engagement that defies the traditional (adult) definition of the words.

Taking some kind of control/ practicing with some kind of authority helps youth establish a better foundation for activism than pushing them into voting booths when they’re older and have no experience.

Henry: student government is a shame/ farce of political activism, because students do not have any real power. The power they are given has no relevance to their everyday (school) lives. Young activists need to have a stake in their cause/consequences to be successful in pursuing something.

Danah: “lack any meaningful form of agency in their lives” (163)

“act out what adults say it means to be a leader rather than actually learning to lead” (164)

KNOWING when to lead and when to follow

Cultivating activists & the HP Alliance

Mimi: important that political groups aren’t too specialized, otherwise power is contained to only that community, and nowhere else. How to connect these movements to big p politics. Problem of transfer between different contexts. It is important that young activists see their efforts being connected to more adult-oriented areas.

Henry: civic imagination at work – hpa; take fantasy world, connect to real life events. Gives young activists a platform to do so.

Fan activism – using the fandom of choice to make changes to your world (usually having to do with representation?? Star Trek & the gay alien).

Identify problem

Identify decision-makers

Established a tactic

Educated others

Took Action

Steps for political campaign

Mimi: connecting domains takes skills and a network. Your results will only b as good as your tools.

Danah:  networks help “leverage skills effectively” “activism is cultivated”

Mimi: can the policies of the hpa be applied to other channels of political activism???????