Syndicate: <nettime> Just Watch

[JSalloum@aol.com (by way of Andreas Broeckmann)]

J U S T   W A T C H
Symposium, Workshop, Videoprogramm, Internetproject

Representational Politics in the Electronic Media
By (mainly) Women Media Producers From the Global South

Shedhalle Zurich, Switzerland
September 6th - 12th, 1997


The global aspect of new technologies is often praised as democratization
of communication. Technology critics wonder, however, whether cyberspace
does not simply reproduce patriarchal and colonial structures of the global
media networks. The project JUST WATCH addresses the question of access to
and alternative use of the electronic media to women from Africa, South
America and Asia as well as minorities and migrants in Europe who are
involved in media production (video, tv, internet).

We will have a close look at the representation of women from the Global
South in local and western tv-productions and discuss the current
priorities and strategies in cultural articulation and self-representation.
These questions will engage us in a discussion around identity politics in
the representation and definition of ethnicity and gender. A debate which
has been widely neglected in Europe eventhough media is known to play a
crucial role in shaping western imagination and attitudes towards cultural
values in other parts of the world. By the same token, these images have a
great impact on the public opinion in the European domestic relations to
migration, refugees and racism. The use of women as metaphors for nature,
submission, victimization, backwardness or exotification still dominates
media representation. Rather than simply producing counter narratives, we
are interested in ways to reclaim and reconstruct various on-going
geo-political histories and multiple identities.

Programm

* Symposium September 6th and 7th
Audio-visual presentations by women from independent media, community TV
and video units from Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Topics up for discussion:
conditions of production and forms of distribution,
identity politics in representation (gender/ethnicity),
strategies of empowerment/emanzipation/citizenship,
access and applications of electronic communication technology
Further suggestions are welcome.

*Video programm
A video programm on the above issues will be put together. Please send in
your video tapes for screening.
The exhibition will document the particular local working conditions
(camera work, editing room, studio), forms of distribution, access to the
public sphere (i.e. outdoor/community screenings) etc. Could you please
provide us with a photograph or/and a clip of your own work situation?

* Media Workshop September 8th - 12th
A one week workshop on media theory and practice for migrant and minority
women in Europe who want to focus on identity politics in western media and
formulate positions in self-representation. Detailed information available
in June.


*Internet Project
JUST WATCH will have it's own web site which provides information on the
symposium, video programm, workshop and minority media productions in
Europe. If you wish to participate, please send us information about your
activities and media programs.

*Media File
Special attention is given to media productions by transnationals, migrants
and ethnic minorities in Europe with an emphasis on women's productions.
JUST WATCH initiates a file providing sources and titles to enhance
communication between producers + contribute to a wider public access.

If you have suggestions for a presentation at the symposium, want to send
us videos and visual materials for the exhibition, please mail it to the
address below and let us know by fax or email.

Our home page will be set up in July.

This is an open invitation. Please feel free to hand it on to others who
work within the parameters of this project.

Thank you very much for your collaboration.
We look forward to hearing from you,


Ursula Biemann & Martine Anderfuhren

Shedhalle
PF 771
CH-8038 Zxrich / Switzerland
tel 00411 481 59 50 fax 00411 481 59 51
uleshedhalle@access.ch
manderfu@worldcom.ch

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