Events

Dr. Marc Rice will present,

"THE REVOLUTION WILL BE YOUTUBED:  MUSIC, STRUGGLE, AND NEW MEDIA IN IRAN"

Abstract:
In the Summer of 2009 following the controversial reelection of Mahmood Ahmadinejad as President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, thousands of Iranians joined a mass protest movement that continues to this day. The New Media, including Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter, have been crucial to communicating, organizing, and publicizing the movement.
             This talk is an overview of ongoing research that examines the use of Youtube music videos to narrate the progress of the Iranian movement and to inspire people to be aware of and to contribute to it. A wide range of musical styles from traditional Iranian to modern Western as well as videos that use images of the country and its people chronicle the Rebellion. In a repressive country where traditional means of communication are strictly controlled, Youtube has allowed the story of the uprising to be told in a myriad of creative ways.