The ubiquity of media in the daily lives of many Latin Americans makes it a powerful tool for political, social and cultural empowerment. As different social actors begin advocating for rights and recognition, they utilize the media to advance their position in the public arena. Thus, the new media space becomes a complex field of competing narratives deployed by various groups to gain visibility and legitimacy. However, instead of being acts of outright resistance, their efforts brush against the established public discourses, often modifying or contesting, but sometimes strengthening them.

This panel will explore the ways in which diverse sectors in Latin America use the media, including television, radio, newspapers and the internet, to push forward their social, cultural and political agendas. In the context where states have historically relied on the media to support their national projects, how successful are these new voices? How do minority groups employ the media to gain visibility and power? In what ways do they contribute to reshaping the dominant discourses of the contemporary state? In general, how are racial, ethnic, sexual, gender or national identities constructed and communicated within the increasingly fractured public space in Latin America?

Please send a 500-word abstract and a brief biographical note to Reighan Gillam at rag47@cornell.edu or Ieva Jusionyte at ieva@brandeis.edu. The deadline for abstract submission is September 25, 2009.