I Provoke Therefore I Am: Cross-Border Mediatizations of Femen’s “Sextremist” Protest

Authors

  • Mariam Betlemidze California State University, San Bernardino
  • Kevin Michael DeLuca University of Utah

Keywords:

Femen, Actor-Network Theory, image events, affect, bodies

Abstract

This article analyzes the (re)mediations of one of the pivotal protest events of the topless female activist group Femen in Ukraine, Russia, France, and The Netherlands. We examine how the cutting down of a crucifix in downtown Kiev in 2012 by Femen became an image event and put the group on the map globally, promoting a new style of affective female activism. Providing a slightly revised version of Bruno Latour’s Actor-Network Theory, we propose to study image events through rupture-connection-transformation processes. We examine how this image event of Femen traversed political, cultural, and ideological borders, creating a swarm of contrasting responses and transformations. Through close audio and visual analysis of networked digital artifacts, we argue that Femen ignites debates around taboo topics, creates new divisions, and bridges old divides.

Author Biographies

Mariam Betlemidze, California State University, San Bernardino

Mariam Betlemidze is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at California State University, San Bernardino. Her areas of interest include poststructural media theory, social change and multimedia journalism production. Prior to her graduate career, Dr. Betlemidze worked as a journalist in her home country of Georgia, where she helped co-found non-profit organizations GO Group Media and JAM News.

Kevin Michael DeLuca, University of Utah

Kevin DeLuca is a Professor of Communication and Environmental Humanities at the University of Utah. He is the author of the book “Image Politics” and has also published numerous essays on media, social movements, images, and environmental politics.

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Published

2021-03-14

Issue

Vol. 15 (2021)

Section

Articles

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