Tag: protest

“Pa’l Norte” a song about the hope in the North and its deadly path.

  By

Hi all, ready for another music story? In our last post, we saw some of the history and background of protest music, today I will dive deeper into one of my favorite songs: Pa’l Norte by Calle 13.
This song is an anthem of protest dedicated to the Latin community and all of those who have been forced along the years to cross their borders in direction to the USA. The song talks about the poor living conditions that southern countries offer to their people and how the North becomes a place of hope. However, the reality is one of struggle and discrimination. In that way, Pa’l Norte is a powerful piece of protest music that speaks to the struggles of migration, displacement and identity while highlighting the hope that drives people to keep going.

In the age of digital media, protest music has a new power: it can be shared instantly, spreads quickly and creates global conversations. Calle 13 has mastered this and connected Latin America from North to South with this and many other songs that speak about identity and the dream of a united region that can offer to their people conditions that stop them from leaving their families and that is known to them in the search of a more stable financial situation. So, Pa’l Norte in this way becomes a tool for protest and a call to action.

The Power of Lyrics: Resilience and Identity

From the first line of Pa’l Norte, it is clear that René Pérez (alias Residente) is not just fooling around. He is proclaiming a message – a strong message. The lyrics are about migration, survival and the relentless search for a better life. One of the most striking lines, “Con hambre, pero sigo caminando” (“Hungry, but I keep walking”), immediately conveys the unyielding spirit of those who are forced to leave their homes due to violence, poverty or political instability (Calle 13, 2007).

At its core, Pa’l Norte is not just about surviving—it is about thriving in the face of adversity. The song speaks to anyone who has been marginalized or forced to fight for a better life. And in the world of protest music, this is essential as they focus on resistance, but also celebrate the strength of communities who keep moving forward, no matter the odds (Kallio et al., 2020). The song’s lyrics touch on universal themes of survival and identity, making it a protest anthem not just for Latin Americans, but for anyone fighting systemic oppression or inequality.

What is especially powerful about the lyrics is that they do not shy away from the complexities of migration. Calle 13 acknowledges the hardship and pain of leaving home. The resilience they sing about isn’t just a survival tactic—it’s a statement of power. It is a refusal to be beaten down by a system that offers few opportunities for the most vulnerable and denies dignity to those forced to migrate.

The Music Video: A Visual Protest in Motion

To accompany this powerful song, Calle 13 created a captivating music video, which is visually stunning and shows scenes of the journey to reach the North. The video paints a vivid picture of migration and the many dangers that are

found on the way. Set against a backdrop of barren desert landscapes, it shows people on the move – families trekking through rough terrain with their belongings, facing the unknown with nothing but hope. Something important to consider, is that many of the people who decide to take over this path, do not make it alive – the crossing is highly illegal and monitored and people need to trust the dealer, who promises to guide them to the other side.

The decision to shoot in an environment that coincides with the actual path traveled makes the images impressive and accompanies the texts and their message. It conveys a sense of isolation, of being an outcast from society, but also the limitless potential of human endurance. The video turns against the dehumanizing narratives that often surround migration, turning migrants into statistics or stereotypes, and focuses on what they have left behind. This artwork is a powerful reminder that each person’s journey is a testament to their courage and a reflection of an unjust reality (Martinez, 2017).

Protest music in the digital era: reach, resonance and revolt
One of the coolest things about Pa’l Norte is how it epitomizes the power of digital media in protest music. Thanks to the proliferation of streaming platforms, the song could quickly spread across borders and have an impact for of those away from home, specially Latin American migrants. When Calle 13 released the song, they took advantage of the access to different digital platforms to convey they message and became an anthem for those that could identify with this reality.

The digital age has changed the way protest music works. It is no longer just about local or regional movements but solidarity and visibility become globally available. Pa’l Norte was able to reach many more people than it could have ever done before the digital area, is now able to connect people that are far away from each other but share a common story.

This accessibility was and is crucial for today’s movements. Social media allows activists to come together, share their struggles and amplify their voices in real time. And Pa’l Norte is a prime example of how music can serve as a bridge connecting people with common causes (Peddie, 2019).

Why Pa’l Norte Still Matters

So why is Pa’l Norte still relevant today, over a decade after its publication? Well, for one thing, the issues it addresses – migration, inequality and identity – are unfortunately, still relevant and far from being solved (if ever). But today they seem perhaps even more urgent than ever before with Governments that rely on hate speech and discrimination, finding tools to unite and feel a sense of belonging becomes extremely necessary.

Calle 13 has created something that goes beyond entertainment – it’s a tool for social change, a piece of music that not only entertains, but inspires thought and action – becoming a proud example of what protest music can and should do. So, go ahead and listen (or re-listen) to Pa’l Norte, remember that it’s not just a song, it is the summary of the voice of many that unfortunately continue to fight for their right to be treated as human.

 

References

  • Calle 13. (2007). Pa’l Norte [Song]. On Residente o Visitante. Sony BMG Latin.
  • Kallio, A. A., Karlsen, S., & Westerlund, H. (2020). Music, Education, and Religion: Intersections and Entanglements. Routledge.
  • Martinez, M. E. (2017). Borderlands and the Politics of Resistance in Music Videos: A Visual
  • Discourse Analysis of Calle 13’s “Pa’l Norte.” Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies, 26(2), 149-168.
  • Peddie, I. (2019). The Resisting Muse: Popular Music and Social Protest. Routledge.

Social media influencers and content creators as inspiration for digital protests

  By ,

“You must unite behind the science. You must take action. You must do the impossible. Because giving up can never ever be an option.”

Greta Thunberg in the US Congress, Washington DC, 17 September 2019

How can we reach as many people as possible? Content that goes viral is not often from the accounts of companies or NGOs but from personal accounts. To gain maximum volume on social media, one way (not maybe the cheapest) is to collaborate with social media influencers and, in a way, buy their audience.

What is the role of influencers and content creators in social movements? Charismatic leaders have always been meaningful in moving the social movement forward, but how does it work in the digital era? How are social media influencers, activists, NGO´s, and development actors intertwined?

Greta Thunberg is one of the most famous activists of our time. She became well known for her street protests, and Fridays for Future –movement. The movement grew to become also a huge digital protest and digital movement. Greta Thunberg is nowadays a famous figure and, you could say, a social media influencer and digital activist.

Motaz Azaiza is a photojournalist from Gaza, who has become familiar to the Western audience during the last year.  Motaz Azaiza documented the war in Gaza and its impact on civilian daily life. He is now abroad from his homeland, traveling around the world, meeting people giving interviews, and raising his voice for the Palestinians.

I watched a videocast in Zeteo where Greta Thunberg and Motaz Azaiza talked about Gaza and activism. The setup itself is very interesting. Two famous activists of our time delved into the feelings and motives of activism. Greta Thunberg became known as a climate activist but has been also active in standing up for Palestinians. Her choice has been criticized, but in this article, she explains that the main driver for her activism is always to defend human rights in climate issues and conflict zones.

Movements need forerunners

In the interview, Motaz Azaiza says that there are a lot of good people in the world and that his intention now is to gather those people together. Greta Thunberg praises him for being an invaluable voice in articulating how everyone needs to step up and take action to call out Israel’s actions and the complicity of the West. With his platform, pictures, and footage, he has made sure that no one can remain unaffected by this live broadcast of genocide and apartheid.

Why Thunberg decided to speak up and to interview Azaiza, she explains that: We need a media that challenges the status quo, holds people in power accountable, and communicates the stories of real hope that make us want to step out of our comfort zones and actually make a difference.

Digital activists and digital forerunners are essential for movements to grow and gain an audience. We need forerunners like Azaiza to use their persona and platform to gather people together. And we need a new kind of storytelling and narrative, that contests the mainstream media, as Thunberg suggests, and for that, we need digital activists and content creators.

The motive behind the action

Motaz Azaiza explains that his motive for standing up for the rights of Palestinians is different from those who are not Palestinians. In the interview, he describes that activism is part of his responsibility towards his home and land. It´s a way to serve his homeland.

In his case, the motive behind activism is very personal. For many Westerners choosing activism is supporting what they believe in, and their own right to live is not in danger. As Thunberg says: “People like me, who have privileges, we have to use them.”

Social media influencers using their platform

But what happens when social media influencers use their privileges and platforms? Social media influencers who already have a big audience are often asked to use their platform to make noise about social issues. The world’s most successful YouTube content creator MrBeast (aka Jimmy Donaldson) is using his success for a good cause by donating his money. 

When someone is profiling himself as a good doer (white savior) the question of doing good or looking good is always there. If you are a social media influencer, how much good do you need to do, or how well do you need to know the topic, to be able to post about it – and not get criticized?

In the aidnography blog, Tobias Denskus reflects on MrBeast´s footprint in the aid industry, and pops up an interesting question “We also have to ask ourselves what better ways of communication we have in the third decade of the 21st century”. It is undeniable that social media influencers and other celebrities have the channels and means to reach a wide audience. Last spring during the Super Bowl, social media memes hoped that pop star Taylor Swift was in love with a climate scientist. Swift rushing to the Super Bowl to cheer on her boyfriend Travis Kelce got so much media attention that climate activists can only dream of something similar.

Do you know any good examples of activists on social media? I will come back to this topic in my last post.

Best,

Noora

Interview as research method: discussions on digital activism and participation

  By

How to do research on digital activism and digital protests? How to gain knowledge on the connection between online and offline activism? In this blog post, I´ll reflect on two interviews that I conducted recently. I aim to explore interviews as a research method on digital activism.

To understand the digital activism phenomenon and how activists themselves see the correlation between their actions online/offline I considered the semi-structured interview to be a good method. In semi-structured interviews, questions are specified, but the interviewer is free to ask beyond the planned questions. In semi-structured interviews, the participant can answer on their own terms. (Wessels, 2024)

In-person or online?

For the assignment, I conducted two interviews, one in person and the other online. Below, I briefly explain who I interviewed and offer some reflections on the interview itself.

The first interviewee is a person that I briefly met in a demonstration. In the interview, I asked questions like:

  • How often do they take part in offline protests?
  • How often do they share material online, that could be defined as digital activism?
  • How do they feel when taking part in online/offline protests?

We discussed online, but nevertheless, the interview had a good rapport. The interviewee was interested in the topic and was happy to participate.

Perhaps the atmosphere was even too familiar. I noted that I should practice my own researcher role for the next interview.

The interviewee’s answers corresponded to my hypothesis and also my own experiences. I noted that it would be important to have a rich variety of interviewees from different backgrounds, to have diversity in the answers.

In the interview, we discussed participation, how often they participate, and how. In addition to open answers, real data on the topic would have been useful, for example in the form of a survey or by tracking how often a group of people participate in protests or share content on social media.

The second interview was conducted in person. I interviewed a teacher, who works in an NGO that prepares materials for schools on human rights, global citizenship, and participation.

The interviewee mentioned that the introduction to the interview was good and that they felt interested in participating. It was easy to build rapport with the participant. The insights from the interview were an interesting counterpart to an interview I had done before, but the research question and therefore the content of the interview could have been clearer for me.

In my interviews, I didn´t find a difference in the rapport of the interviews depending on online/in-person interviews. Irvine et al. discuss in the article ‘Am I not answering your questions properly?’ the assumption that lack of face-to-face contact restricts the development of rapport and “natural” encounters (2012). New technologies allow also remotely done interviews to have face-to-face contact, and as Trier-Bieniek says there is never a guarantee of a rapport between the researcher and a participant in an in-person interview (2012).

I didn´t experience a problem with the rapport, but what I thought about after conducting both interviews is that it might be better to interview people in their own environment. I could have asked the first interviewee to give concrete examples of their own behavior in social media and show their social media accounts and the content they share. In the second interview, I could have asked to see the materials or even take part in one of the lessons they organize in school. This small ethnographic point of view would have given a lot more background information.

The power of the researcher

I was quite surprised at how easy it was to find a suitable participant for my interviews. Even though this was a school assignment I felt that the participants took it seriously and were eager to share their experiences. That reminded me about the role and power that the researchers/interviewers have.

Holstein & Gubrium argue that both participant and interviewer are active in the interview (1995).

Each is involved in meaning-making work. Meaning is not merely elicited by apt questioning nor simply transported through respondent replies; it is actively and communicatively assembled in the interview encounter. Respondents are not so much repositories of knowledge—treasuries of information awaiting excavation—as they are constructors of knowledge in collaboration with interviewers. (Holstein & Gubrium,1995)

If we consider the interview to be a collaborative process, and the result depends on the meaning-making done together it is highly important as a research interviewer to understand your role, biases, and hypotheses and see that those don´t intervene with the result.

There is always a complex power and dependency dynamic in the relationship between the researcher and the research participants (Wessels, 2024). In this case, I was interviewing my peers and by that, I mean that we share the same ethnic background and same status in a society. But even in this setting, I noticed that in the interview context, I had the power to lead the situation, I was the one asking questions, and also all my questions were answered. It is important to understand the power dynamic and reflect on how it is affecting the answers/results.

I think this was the main takeaway for me from this assignment; to practice my researcher role.

 How to use an interview as a research method efficiently?

To conclude my insights, I made these notes for myself for the future.

  • Sharp research questions and interview questions based on that.
  • Ask yourself; what kind of data do you need to gain from the interview? Do you need some data before as background information?
  • Consider carefully the place where you do the interview, is it better to meet in an official office setting or in a place that is related to the topic, or something between?
  • Do you need more than just the answers, or would you like to see the participant’s home/workplace/something else?
  • Remember to be mindful of your researcher role and use your power right.
  • Be open. Participants have the right to know what you are doing and why, also sharing something about your own (professional) background can help in building up the rapport.

Protest Music: Amplifying Activism in the Digital Age

Quote

  By

The World of Protest Music: Amplifying Political Messages in the Digital Age

Think about this: when do you typically listen to music? At home, bars, restaurants and nightclubs, at concerts, on TV? All these might seem like the obvious answers. However, music has historically been more than just entertainment; it has also been a powerful tool for social and political resistance. Protest music has accompanied movements, bringing people together through a common voice. From the anthems of the 1960s civil rights movement to today’s digital activism, music continues to play a powerful role in driving and amplifying social change. In the digital age, where much activism occurs both online and in physical spaces, protest music has evolved to meet new technological and social realities. In this post, we are going to explore the history of protest music, its transformation in the digital age and its role in hybrid activism, where it transcends both online platforms and street demonstrations.

Protest Music along time…

Throughout history, music has been a core element of social movements, as we all seem to find a really special connection with rhythms and lyrics that allow us to connect in much deeper levels. Whether through union songs, spiritual music, or anti-war ballads, music has conveyed messages that are often more effective than speeches or pamphlets. According to Eyerman and Jamison (1998), music plays an important role in the collective identity formation of social movements, providing a cultural space for participants to express shared values and grievances. Songs like “We Shall Overcome,” which became a central anthem during the U.S. civil rights movement, becoming a great example of the power of music to unify protesters by allowing them to express their demands for justice (Dunaway, 2008).

What makes protest music such a force for change? Perhaps it’s the fact that it’s connected to our own history and brings people together because of shared emotions. Music allows us to connect with others and find common ground on values, struggles and needs. The complexity yet simplicity of music makes it accessible to people all over the world, across language barriers and cultures. Think back to your childhood when you hummed a song in a language you didn’t even understand, but you felt the power and beauty of the melody.

So, what’s the role of music in the Digital Age?

Digital platforms, social media, the internet in general have changed us all and become an important part of society, social movements have also adapted to the new ways in which we communicate and interact with one another. This has meant that the reach and potential influence of protest music has expanded in many ways. Thanks to the democratization of music production and distribution, it has become easier for anyone to produce and distribute music online. According to Serrano (2021), digital platforms have turned music into a global language of protest, with songs frequently going viral and inspiring movements across borders.

Many impactful example have been present in the past years, one of them was during the #BlackLivesMatter protests in 2020, where Kendrick Lamar’s song “Alright” was frequently sung at rallies and widely shared on social media as an unofficial anthem of resistance against systemic racism (Brown & Volpe, 2020). The power to viralize moments, is a very powerful tool for citizens and a way to ask for social change, something that before could not even be imaged. It’s crazy then to think that the normalized reality we have today didn’t exist just a few decades ago; today it’s easy to make a viral event on the other side of the world, making the globe much smaller and the causes we fight for much more connected.

Music has always been an important instrument of digital activism and will remain so. Songs serve as anthems for movements, rallying cries that capture the emotional intensity of a protest while conveying its political message. Social media platforms in particular enable the wide distribution of protest songs, which can be remixed and adapted by different movements around the world. According to Nayar (2018), digital platforms have democratized the production and dissemination of protest music, allowing new and diverse voices to emerge in the space of political expression.

For instance, feminist movements have effectively used music to spread their message online. The Chilean feminist collective Las Tesis created the viral song and performance piece “Un Violador en Tu Camino” (A Rapist in Your Path) in 2019, which quickly spread across Latin America and Europe, being performed and remixed by women protesting gender violence (Fischer, 2020). This example shows how digital platforms enable protest music to transcend geographical borders and create a common language of resistance across different countries and movements.

Additionally, the accessibility of digital music production tools has allowed for greater collaboration among artists and activists from different parts of the world. Artists can now create and share protest music in real time, contributing to a global conversation about justice and equity. This global network of protest music has reinforced the notion that social movements are interconnected, regardless of geography, as artists build on each other’s work to address universal struggles such as racism, gender violence, and climate change (Nayak, 2021).

Let us know what you think and stay tuned for the next blog post about music and other relevant topics related to digital activism.

References

  • Beer, D. (2013). Popular culture and new media: The politics of circulation. Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Brown, M., & Volpe, M. (2020). Music and the Movement: Protest, Intervention, and Political Music During Black Lives Matter. Journal of African American Studies, 24 (4), 402-417.
  • Bunaway, D. K. (2008). How can you keep on moving? Labor, music, and migration. In R. D. Cohen (Ed.), Songs about work: Essays in occupational culture for Richard A. Reuss (pp. 40–56). Indiana University Press.
  • Eyerman, R., & Jamison, A. (1998). Music and social movements: Mobilizing traditions in the twentieth century. Cambridge University Press.
  • Fischer, E. (2020). “Un Violador en Tu Camino”: The Anthem of Feminist Resistance in Chile and Beyond. Gender, Place & Culture, 27 (5), 717-719.
  • Nayar, P. (2018). Digital world: A critical introduction. Polity.
  • Nayak, A. (2021). Protest Music in the Digital Age: The Intersection of Music and Social Movements. *Cultural Sociology, 15 (3), 346-358.
  • Rosenstone, R. A. (2013). The historical film as real history. Routledge.
  • Serrano, F. (2021). The Soundtrack of Resistance: Music and Protest in the Digital Age. Journal of Media and Cultural Studies, 35 (4), 565-580.
  • Tufekci, Z. (2017). Twitter and tear gas: The power and fragility of network

Hello and Welcome! 🎶✨

  By ,

I’m Ana, one of the five voices behind this blog, and I’m thrilled to be here! I’m a Communication for Development student at Malmö University with a passion for exploring how music can be a powerful tool for change. I’ll be diving into the vibrant world of protest music, exploring how it acts as a megaphone for social movements—especially in the digital age.

In my section of the blog, we’ll delve into the role of music in activism, considering its impact across different communities and issues. Together, we’ll explore how music not only reflects social movements but also shapes them, fueling development and sparking social change.

Here’s a fun fact to get us started: Did you know that the famous protest song “Give Peace a Chance” by John Lennon was recorded in a hotel room? Lennon and Yoko Ono invited friends, reporters, and peace supporters to join them in their “Bed-In for Peace,” turning the recording session into an accessible protest for all (Schinder, 2007). 🎤✌️

Stay tuned for my posts, where we’ll journey through everything from historical anthems to today’s digital protest playlists. And don’t be shy—I’d love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, and favorite protest songs, so feel free to drop a comment and join the conversation!

Let’s tune in for change together! 🎧✨

 

Reference

Schinder, S. (2007). The encyclopedia of recorded sound. Routledge.

Welcome to IDA

  By

#BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, and #ClimateStrike are a few examples of global and well-known movements from recent years – and they all gain their power from the digital world. These examples reached massive popularity. In the year 2020 hashtag #BlackLivesMatter was used roughly 47.8 million times on Twitter only in a few weeks. The movement was activated after the death of George Floyd. Fridays for Future and the #ClimateStrike movement went viral in 2018 as students and activists worldwide organized online to protest government inaction on climate change. Digital activism played a crucial role in coordinating climate strikes in hundreds of cities.

These are some well-known success stories of digital activism, but not the whole picture. Digital activism can also be local, unsuccessful, artistic, or even fake. IDA – Inside Digital Activism -blog dives into the digital world and takes a close look at different phenomena of digital activism.

Digital activism might look like an easy and cheap way of mobilizing people and pushing social change, all you need is a group of people with mobile phones. NGOs, political parties, and activists are all searching for the killer hashtag that would be the next viral hit and reach the audience they want. Even if you’re not targeting a global audience, activism in a digitalized world cannot exist without a digital dimension.

We, the writers of the blog, are Ana, Noora, Percy, and Tábata, a group of Communication for Development master’s students passionate about exploring how communication can drive positive change in the world. Through this blog, we aim to share our insights, experiences, and reflections as we dive into the complexities of development communication. Whether you’re a fellow student, a development professional, or just curious about the field, we hope you’ll find our posts thought-provoking and inspiring.

This blog will look into the limitations and risks of digital activism such as inequality in online activism and the rise of fake content in digital channels. Tábata will investigate disparities in access to technology, participation in digital activism, and the inclusion and exclusion within online movements, examining how activists are addressing these challenges.

IDA-blog will also take a closer look at different formats of digital activism. Percy is going to explore how digital activism meets creativity – ‘Digital Artivism’? How do artists measure the impact of digital formats and available data collection tools? What are the recent projects and discussions of the challenges that artists face? Ana will dive into the world of protest music – and music with political messages. Music has long traditions as a tool in social movements – what is its role in the digital era? Many movements and protests live both in real and digital life. Noora will explore how real-life protests, street demonstrations and occupations are connected to digital activism.

Stay tuned for the following posts! It would be great if you would drop a comment or question: what is the phenomenon that we should explore or a theory that you would like to know more about?