Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Institut für Europäische Ethnologie

Lecture by Sherry B. Ortner (L.A.)

Abstract

This talk is drawn from a larger ethnographic study of a film production company that makes critical documentaries with the intention of generating progressive political activism (www.bravenewfilms.org).    In this paper I look at the company from the point of view of anthropological and sociological research on social movements, seeing it as a part of what I call “social movement infrastructure.”  I look ethnographically at their practical work in movement building, including their work on social media, on partnering with likeminded organizations, and on promoting grass-roots screenings of the films.  I also ask about their orientation toward the future.  I argue in part that infrastructure building and maintenance is itself inherently future oriented.  Beyond that, however, I look at their  representations about the future, in both their company “vision statement” and in their films.  In the end we can see that a large part of their vision includes activism itself, as an ongoing part of a democratic future.

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