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"Hiding our faces to be seen": strategies of visibility of activism

Ruiz-Mora, Isabel María,Rodríguez-Amat, Joan Ramón · 2018

Abstract

This paper explores how this gesture of masking, hiding, and facial-covering is not only a liberation response to a form of oppression or a political statement against some unlawful action; but that it also works as a strategy of visibility. Following the research of Eesley, DeCelles and Lenox (2015) focusing on activist types and tactics and Bennet (2003), about global activism and networked politics, we explore the strategic communication component behind the visibility in these protests. As Ciszek states “activism is a form of strategic communication” (2017, p.702). Combining a series of quantitative and qualitative techniques for its analysis, this paper brings together recent forms of “masked activism” around the world. We elaborate a typology that helps for the understanding of the strategies and actions happening in activism and social movements with the use of masks. The question deriving from this principle would be then, to what extent those actions and strategies are ideologically grounded: can these strategies and actions differ from movements to movements? And in particular, what does the mask do, in each case? Is a mask more than a mask? Exploring these aspects should enable further research on social movements and political activism from the strategic and communicative organisation.

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"Hiding our faces to be seen": strategies of visibility of activism

Author: Ruiz-Mora, Isabel María,Rodríguez-Amat, Joan Ramón
Year: 2018
Source: https://riuma.uma.es/xmlui/bitstream/10630/16884/1/Poster_v2.pdf
"HIDING OUR FACES TO BE SEEN": STRATEGIES OF VISIBILITY OF
ACTIVISM | E18-1408
DR ISABEL RUIZ-MORA AND DR JOAN RAMON RODRIGUEZ-AMAT
Uni e si y o Malaga (Spain) [email p o ec ed]s
She ield Hallam Uni e si y (UK) mon. od igue[email p o ec ed]
INTRODUCCTION
The s a egy o hiding behind a mask is a poli ical s a emen agains indi idualism and e en ually
agains capi alism, oo. I is a o m o s a ing a sel less iden i y o collec i e being ha links he
sec e and hidden iden i ies o comic supe he oes wi h Goya's "The hi d o May 1808" pain ing.
In digi al imes o compulsi e sel ies and o biome ic acial ecogni ion so wa e, and o acial-
unlock pe sonal communica i e de ices, he mask has eme ged as a ool o p o es as has been
he " acial weaponisa ion sui e" esponding o eg essi e ph enological insinua ions o linking
homosexuali y and acial s uc u e. The colou ul ha s o Pussy Rio ha e also become a o m o
p o es s in hemsel es o eedom o exp ession and agains ep essi e policies in Russia; o Guy
Fawkes' mask, o he black sui headless man, ha e become symbols o echnologically enabled
p o es associa ed o he global hacking o ganisa ion Anonymous.
This pape explo es how his ges u e o masking, hiding, and acial-co e ing is no only a libe a ion
esponse o a o m o opp ession o a poli ical s a emen agains some unlaw ul ac ion; bu ha i
also wo ks as a s a egy o isibili y.
“ACTIVISM IS A FORM OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION” (CISZEK, 2017, p.702).
METHODS
Combining a se ies o quan i a i e and quali a i e
echniques o i s analysis, his pape b ings oge he
ecen o ms o “masked ac i ism” a ound he wo ld.
We elabo a e a ypology ha helps o he unde s anding
o he s a egies and ac ions happening in ac i ism and
social mo emen s wi h he use o masks.
The ques ion de i ing om his p inciple would be
hen, o wha ex en hose ac ions and s a egies a e
ideologically g ounded: can hese s a egies and ac ions
di e om mo emen s o mo emen s? And in pa icula ,
wha does he mask do, in each case? Is a mask mo e han
a mask?
CONCLUSIONS
P o es Masks wo k s a egically and simul aneously in h ee di ec ions: Masks as e e yone; Masks as anyone; Masks as hea ical.
MASKS AS EVERYONE: he mask is an anonymised exp ession o he people. The di e si y and ichness o he membe s o he communi y is
b ough oge he by he mask ha calls o e e yone as a single en i y wi h a sha ed iden i y, wi h a message and wi h a will. MASKS AS ANYONE:
he mask hides he indi idual wi hin he collec i e, as a h ea ening mons e amongs he g oup, he mask p o ec s he ac i is om being isola ed
om he g oup i ep esen s. Anyone could be, and he collec i e canno be o bidden, a es ed, o imp isoned o wha one single masked
uniden i ied indi idual does. MASK AS THEATRICAL: masks gene a e isibili y. They help ac i is s o be seen and ecognised, inc easing he ou each
o hei ac ions beyond he con lic bo de s, b inging hi d pa ies in as wi nesses o media o s: ie. in e na ionalising na ional issues.
REFERENCES
Benne , L. (2003). Communica ing Global Ac i ism. S eng hs and ulne abili ies o ne wo ked Poli ics. In o ma ion, Communica ion & Socie y, 6(2), 143–168.
DOI: 10.1080/1369118032000093860.
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Communica ion, 67 (1), 702-718. DOI: 10.1111/jcom.12319.
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con a el P oyec o Mine o Conga. Años 2011 - 2013”. Thesis disse a ion. Uni e sidad P i ada del No e, Pe ú.
PUBLIC & VISIBLE PRIVATE & NO VISIBLE
MASKNO MASK
Go e nmen
Poli icians
Celeb i ies,…
Ci izens
Co po a ions
Use s, …
7 h Eu opean Communica ion Con e ence (2018) "Cen es and Pe iphe ies: Communica ion, Resea ch, T ansla ion"