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

Ruiz-Mora, Isabel María; Rodríguez-Amat, Joan Ramón

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

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

Published: 2018-11-01
Repository: riuma.uma.es
Language: en

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.

Full text

"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. Ciszek, E. (2017). Ac i is S a egic Communica ion o Social Change: A T ansna ional Case S udy o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and T ansgende Ac i ism. Jou nal o Communica ion, 67 (1), 702-718. DOI: 10.1111/jcom.12319. Eesley, C., Decelles, K. A. and Lenox, M. (2016). Th ough he mud o in he boa d oom: Examining ac i is ypes and hei s a egies in a ge ing i ms o social change. S a egic Managemen Jou nal, 37 (12), 2425-2440. DOI:10.1002/smj.2458. He edia, J.R. (2017). “Es a egias comunica i as –con en oque c í ico–, u ilizadas po las ondas campesinas de El Tambo –Bambama ca, du an e el con lic o 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"