Stories about Citizen Media from September, 2015
Myanmar Peace Activists Call for an End to the Country's 60-Year-Old Civil War
The activists, who marched in the former capital city of Yangon on International Day of Peace on September 21, also called for the release of political prisoners.
Breaking Down Cultural and Racial Stereotypes About Latin Americans, One Joke at a Time
Flama uses humor to foster cultural understanding. Its collection of short videos seeks to address the complexity of Latin American identities and their sometimes-simplistic representation in North American society.
Refugees and Police Aren’t the Only Ones At Odds in the Balkans
When it comes to the refugee question, recent friction between EU leaders has done more to rekindle old animosities than resolve the current crisis.
#PinjraTod Gives Voice to Indian Women Fed Up With Draconian University Hostel Rules
"What is clear from all these stories is the need for an all-out rejection of these restrictive rules and the patriarchal protectionism they are built on."
Drowned Syrian Boy Awakens Peruvians to Their Own Dying Children
A photo of a drowned Syrian boy has generated international sympathy, while images of children freezing in the Peruvian Andes have provoked a different response.
The Arrest of Arash Zad, Iran's Start-Up Kid
A popular technology blogger and pioneer of Iran's start-up scene is quietly arrested at Tehran's international airport. A strange turn of events for someone not involved in an dissident activity.
Zone9 Bloggers Are Not Alone: More Ethiopian Netizens Face Terrorism Charges
Alongside the now-famous case of the Zone9 bloggers, there are so many detained Ethiopian bloggers, online activists and politicians, whose names are not yet on the map. Last year on July 8, 2014, Ethiopia detained a number of local opposition leaders, bloggers, online activists and concerned citizens. Some were released after four...
Haitian President's Sexist Comments Remind Caribbean Feminists They Still Have a Long Way to Go
From schoolboy raps to ministerial threats, women across the Caribbean continue to pay the price for speaking out, says the Code Red feminist blog.
3 Keys to Understanding the Burkina Faso Coup
Learn who is behind the coup, what this has to do with upcoming elections and why all eyes are on citizen movements' reactions to the crisis.
As Election Draws Near, Myanmar Turns to Social Media at Democratic Turning Point
The election is widely seen as a test of the government's willingness to hold a clean election, and as an important step in the country's transition to a modern democracy.
Charlie Hebdo's Cartoons of Alan Kurdi Spark Another Round of Free Speech Debates
French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo kicks off a new free-speech debate with its latest cartoons about the refugee crisis and specifically deceased Syrian toddler Alan Kurdi.
Venezuela's Oscar Entry Speaks an Indigenous Language
“Gone with the River” by Mario Crespo is Venezuela's Oscar entry in the Best Foreign Language Film… https://t.co/XR8tzauaSU — Carlos Aguilar (@Carlos_Film) September 3, 2015 Lo que lleva el río (“Gone With the River”), from Cuban-Venezuelan filmmaker Mario Crespo Dauna, is a Venezuelan film shot almost entirely in Warao, the language...
It Gets Worse for Russia's Most-Prominent LGBT Youth Support Group
Authorities have ordered the country's most popular social network to ban Children-404, along with four other LGBT groups, or risk being blocked altogether by Russian Internet providers.
Moroccan Royal Motorcade Runs Down By-Stander
Moroccans are sharing links for a video showing a car which is part of a royal motorcade ferrying Moroccan King Mohammed VI running over a man in Tangiers during the visit of French President Francois Hollande. Samia Errazzouki tweets: Video footage showing royal security protocol running over a man in...
New Mobile App Helps Belarusians to Keep an Eye on Violations in Presidential Election
The creators of "Vochy" hope the mobile app helps broaden Belarusian citizens' knowledge of their voter rights and provides an opportunity to quickly report election violations to independent observers.
Twitter Users from Around the World Show Off Ukrainian Foods in Their Local Grocery Stores
Ukraine’s Agriculture Minister asked his Twitter followers to post photos of products made in Ukraine from grocery stores around the world to show the scope of the country's agricultural exports.
Chilean Musician Victor Jara's Rethinking of Power Lives on Long After His Murder
The singer-songwriter, murdered in the aftermath of Augusto Pinochet's coup, invited listeners to dare to dream of a future in which society wasn't separated into powerful elites and disenfranchised masses.
Reinventing the Blues on Ex-Soviet Georgia’s Black Sea
'As we kick into a Slim Harpo number, the rhythm section slides deep in the pocket before Tamaz, our guitarist, shreds the solo to ribbons.'
Guinean Bloggers Battle the Digital Divide and Threats to Free Speech
Abdoulaye Bah reports Guinea's second blogcamp on how local bloggers are building the online community and opposing restrictions on free speech imposed before the elections.
What Could a Protest of Taxi Drivers in Lisbon and Jakarta Possibly Have in Common? Uber!
Uber is challenging the taxi business concept all around the world. Portuguese taxi drivers are reacting very seriously: with protests. The same is happening in Indonesia.
Ugandan Minister Mysteriously Dies, the Internet Goes Haywire
The sudden death of General Aronda, Uganda's Internal Affairs Minister and former Chief Of Defence Forces, created an outpouring of condolences and a wave of conspiracy theories on social media.