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Start of Project: Feminist Grassroots Media in Europe (12/2008-11/2010)

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Feminist Media. Who makes them? Where can you find them? In what forms and shapes do they come? What do they mean for the people who are involved in producing them? What significance do they have for feminist communities and movements? These are just a few of the questions we are trying to find answers to in our research project Feminist Media Production in Europe. The research project is funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) and will run over a two year period (2009-2010). Our study aims to document, analyse and interpret contemporary feminist grassroots media projects and publications in Europe.

In our broad definition of ‘feminist grassroots media’ we include any non-profit self-identified feminist and/or women’s media projects and publications engaged in processes of social change. Examples of such projects could include various media forms and genres, such as print zines, newspapers, photo-journalism and magazines; electronic media such as e-zines, websites and blogs; broadcast media such as radio, film, podcasts, vlogs (video logs) and TV. We are also interested in non-traditional media forms such as subvertising, fashion, graffiti, culture jamming, posters, comics, adverts, posters, flyers, computer games, wikis, and media coming from mobile phones.

More specifically, we wish to find out about the quantities and geographical locations of existing feminist grassroots media production in Europe; who is involved in these projects, how and why; which goals and visions these projects have and what strategies are used to obtain these goals; and how projects and media producers are positioned in relation to wider feminist/political movement(s).

Every contribution which is uploaded to this website will, therefore, not only be a valuable resource for other visitors on this website; it will also take us one step further in achieving our research aims. To help us in furthering our understanding even more, we would also encourage you to participate in our online survey, which you can find here (soon). This survey is open for anyone who has ever produced or consumed feminist or women’s media—regardless of gender or geographical location (not just Europe). Your participation would mean a lot to us!

Best,
Red, Elke & Jenny (research team)
Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Austria