Stories about Digital Activism from December, 2007
Russia: Kozlovsky's Forced Conscription
Robert Amsterdam's blog follows the story of a Russian youth movement leader's forced conscription to army – here, here and here.
Russia: Robert Amsterdam's Alternative Person of the Year
Robert Amsterdam insists that “TIME’s choice is a great thing for Russia and her people, as we can all take a much closer look now at what is going on (and what’s going wrong) in this great nation.” He also picks his blog's own Person of the Year: The Russian...
Armenia: Action Puts Bloggers In Media Spotlight
In countries such as Armenia where the mainstream broadcast media is firmly under the control of government-connected businessmen and/or officials, while the traditional print and online media largely reflects the opposition in the country, there is no doubt that blogs have an important role to play in the dissemination of...
Barbados, Jamaica: Navel String
“Dirt under the nails is a good thing”: Living in Barbados blogs about an interesting Jamaican tradition and the joys of being close to the earth.
Cuba: Show Me Your Friends…
Child of the Revolution describes the United Nations resolution expressing concern at reports of human rights violations in North Korea “surprising” – and notes that “the usual suspects” (including Cuba) abstained from the vote.
Trinidad & Tobago: Media Accuracy
“It's not enough to just present the news. You have to be accurate”: Media Watch corrects several reporters’ poor pronunciation.
Barbados: Matters of Race
Barbados-born pop star Rihanna's revelation that she was bullied at school for being “white” causes Barbados Free Press and What crazy looks like to blog about “the intersections of race, colour, class and gender in the Caribbean.”
Bermuda: The Government We Deserve?
A Limey In Bermuda thinks that the island has got the government it deserves.
Trinidad & Tobago: Bah Humbug!
Jeremy Taylor wants to call off Christmas.
Kazakhstan: Blogosphere’s Self-Reflection
Recently, the Kazakhstani blogosphere has suddenly become interested in what the blogs really are and what sort of impact they have. Bloggers produced series of posts on this topic approximately at the same time. It is difficult to say for sure what was the reason for such wave of self-reflection...
Georgia: Authoritarian Tendencies
Resistance Georgia comments on the latest report by the International Crisis Group (ICG) which concludes that Georgia is veering towards authoritarianism. The pro-opposition blog thanks the ICG for using such words when the international community is reluctant to do so.
Russia, Moldova: Interview With Natalia Morar
An interview with journalist Natalia Morar by Grigory Pasko – at Robert Amsterdam's blog.
Jamaica: Blogging
Francis Wade thinks that blogging changes everything.
Bahamas, Barbados: Island Time
Both WeblogBahamas.com and Barbados Free Press blog about “island time”.
Bahamas: Hail to the Chief?
Larry Smith at Bahama Pundit agrees that The Bahamas 2007 Special Report, a book published with public funds in order to help attract foreign investment, is really a “hail to the chief book.”
Haiti: Haiti Now! Film Festival
kiskeácity links to a review of the Haiti Now! Seminar, held earlier this year: “There have been some misunderstandings between anglophone West Indians and Haitians over Caricom and its role in Haiti so this kind of cultural effort for mutual understanding is worth noting.”
Cuba: No Cricket
Child of the Revolution finds something “not quite right” about the Cuban cricket team not making its international debut at the Stanford 20/20 tournament “because of the US commercial and trade embargo on the Castro regime.”
Bermuda: Election Results
The Bermuda election results are in – Politics.bm says: “Accountability and government reform in Bermuda politics is officially dead”, while The Devil Island congratulates the winning party and hopes “that we can all move forward and come together as one Bermuda.”
Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica: Death of Traditional Media
“I think blogs…and other online mediums can and should take the place of traditional media, if only because it saves trees…but also because…I do not think that traditional journalism is doing the job anymore”: Sungoddess foresees the demise of traditional media in the Caribbean.
Georgia: Media Ownership
As the 5 January presidential election in Georgia approaches, the pro-opposition Resistance Georgia blog raises some important questions about ownership of the media in the former Soviet republic.
Russia: Attacks on Ingushetia.ru
Window on Eurasia reports on the attacks on Ingushetia.ru, a site that “often reports news about conditions [in Ingushetia] that the authorities do not want covered.”
