The arts of indigenous online dissent: Negotiating technology,
indigeneity, and activism in the Cordillera
Cheryll Ruth Soriano
Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, Blk AS6, #03-41 11 Computing Drive, Singapore 117416, Singapore
article info
Article history:
Received 3 February 2011
Received in revised form 5 April 2011
Accepted 18 April 2011
Available online 29 April 2011
Keywords:
Indigenous media
Internet
Hidden transcripts
Democratic rationalization of technology
Tebtebba
Cordillera People’s Alliance
Qualitative research
abstract
The online communicative environment is expected to revolutionize political discourse as
it expands to cover underrepresented groups and ideas. In this platform, marginalized
groups such as indigenous communities from the developing world can articulate claims,
strategically mobilize and participate in the forms of meaning-making that constitute
them. However, there is skepticism on the actual value of online spaces in effecting agency
in an internet-mediated environment. Using James Scott’s notion of ’hidden transcripts’
and Andrew Feenberg’s ’democratic rationalization of technology’, the paper explores stra-
tegic approaches and historical, social, and political conditions embedded in the construc-
tion, negotiation, and transformation of indigenous online activist media. In-depth
interviews and textual analysis of online spaces were conducted to understand the expe-
riences and online articulations of two indigenous groups based in the Philippines, Tebt-
ebba and Cordillera People’s Alliance with specific attention to the: (a) forms and
characteristics of online struggles, (b) dynamics and strategies behind the production
and distribution of online dissent, (c) process of negotiation of technological use, and (d)
perceived implications of online mediations on group identity, culture and struggle. Probl-
ematizing the complex interaction of technology and indigenous identity, the paper finds
that indigenous activists’ online media engagement constitutes a sustained balancing act
between accommodation and resistance and online spaces are used creatively with reflec-
tion on the dangers and benefits of online spaces to the organization and the struggle.
Ó 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
Scholars have predicted that digital technologies will revolutionize the dynamics of political discourse by promoting a
democratic culture where ‘‘individuals have a fair opportunity to participate in the forms of meaning making that constitute
them’’ (Balkin, 2004, p. 3). In this platform, marginalized groups such as indigenous communities from the developing world
can articulate claims, express their identities and aspirations, strategically mobilize, and solicit broader support. Many antic-
ipated that with this opening of the communicative environment to previously underrepresented groups and ideas, a more
vibrant arena for representation, exchange, and reflection, especially in multicultural societies will follow (Papacharissi,
2002; Dalhberg, 2001).
However, related to the debate on the communication agent’s true ability to resist power, domination and control
(Bourdieu, 1977; Foucault, 1980), there are important concerns on indigenous media productions that are relevant in con-
fronting indigenous online activism. The question of whether the global character of online media can be used to articulate
local agendas and allow the meaningful production of indigeneity is tied to views that global technologies can challenge,
distort, or undermine locality’s production (Landzelius, 2006, p. 293). Based on previous studies exploring indigenous media
in radio, video, and print news, concerns have been raised over issues of authenticity and actual authorship (Ginsburg et al.,
0736-5853/$ - see front matter Ó 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.tele.2011.04.004
E-mail address: cheryllsoriano@nus.edu.sg
Telematics and Informatics 29 (2012) 33–44
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