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The origins of a public voice for marginalised workers in French India, 1935-37
This article examines how far indigenous communications contributed towards the origins of anti-colonialism in French India, as an empowering voice. They are seen as an example of a politicising move from private to public sphere via print communications. The years 1935-7 reveal a saga of severe economic exploitation, violence and political struggle - a trajectory of social conflict in the public sphere. Local archives, including print publications such as the workers’ Tamil paper Swandanthiram are used as a prism for the analysis of a forgotten episode in the history of a neglected corner of French empire. This article traces the development of the workers’ public voice and characterises this as a form of advocacy journalism, compatible with John Downing’s categorisation of ‘lateral’ and ‘vertical’ campaigning in ‘radical alternative’ publications (1984; 2001,p.x). The way that the move from private to public spheres happened, it is argued, reflects the roots of anti-colonialism communication - at a time when the Left in France was more receptive to anti-fascism as a campaigning tool.
History
School affiliated with
- Lincoln School of Film Media and Journalism (Research Outputs)
Publication Title
Web Journal of French Media Studies (WJFMS)Volume
8Publisher
French Media Research GroupISSN
1460-6550Date Submitted
2010-10-31Date Accepted
2010-12-09Date of First Publication
2010-12-09Date of Final Publication
2010-12-09Date Document First Uploaded
2013-03-13ePrints ID
3555Usage metrics
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