VideoChronic: Video Activism and Distribution in Indonesia

"The past decade in Indonesia has seen a dramatic increase in the use of video as a social change tool by community, campaign and activist organisations. Access to the tools for producing and distributing video have become increasingly democratised over this period. But how are video activists taking to using new video distribution technologies? Beyond the hype how are these tools being used on the ground?"

The above-quoted observations and questions sparked a collaborative research project charting how social change activists are engaging with video technologies in Indonesia, addressing some of the issues of technology-mediated social movements, and exploring the potential and limitations of online video distribution. This publication outlines the project - a partnership between EngageMedia and Kunci Cultural Studies Center - which involved: reviewing related websites, documents, and articles; interviewing informants; and conducting a focus group discussion involving a dozen video activists in April 2009, in Jakarta.

The resulting research "argues that inherent in the appropriation of technology (through a process of democratising video production and distribution) is the potential for significant network development among these movements in Indonesia. In doing so, the analysis employs two interlocking approaches. Firstly, we locate existing organisational structures among video activists and distributors, observing how these structures operate within different groups. Secondly, through a process of interviewing key players in video activism and distribution, we explore the more informal ways collectives and networks operate."

The resource may be downloaded in PDF format (see below); to order a printed version, email ali@alimander.com . The printed book presents both English and Indonesian versions of the research as well as colour illustrations, including a visualisation of the development of video activism and online video.