[act-ma] Digital Media and Popular Uprisings, 3/31 (Thurs.), 6 p.m.

[Jason Pramas]

Digital Media and Popular Uprisings

Thursday, March 31, 2011
6-8 p.m.
Lesley University
University Hall Amphitheater
1815 Mass. Ave.
2nd Flr.
Cambridge, MA 02140

Google Map: http://bit.ly/edM4fz

Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114684305275326


The importance of digital media in building the recent wave of popular 
uprisings in the Middle East has been widely heralded in the global 
press. But how are social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, and 
digital communication devices like texters, cell phones and PDAs really 
being used on the ground to help organize millions of people towards a 
common goal - democracy. And is it true that these movements for 
democracy in Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain and beyond are completely 
spontaneous and being organized on the fly with the help of modern 
technology? Or is there more to the story?

Lesley University and Open Media Boston have invited three experts on 
digital media and grassroots organizing to speak to these and related 
issues. Each brings a unique perspective to the discussion.

Ethan Zuckerman is co-founder of the citizen media network Global Voices 
and senior researcher at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society.

Jillian York is a writer and freedom of expression activist who studies 
Internet controls and online activism, with a focus on the Arab world. 
She is a project coordinator at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society.

Suren Moodliar is a coordinator of Massachusetts Global Action and an 
organizer of the Majority Agenda Project. He is deeply interested in 
networks and social change.

The panel will be chaired by Jason Pramas, Editor/Publisher of Open 
Media Boston, www.openmediaboston.org, , and introduced by Lesley 
College* Associate Dean Bruce Logan.

Doors will open at 5:45 p.m. There will be light refreshments served in 
the Atrium just outside the Amphitheater. The event is free and open to 
the public.

For more information, or press inquiries, please email 
info at openmediaboston.org.

*Lesley College is the undergraduate college of Lesley University