The outsiders' guide experience: journalism and art in digital societies

The aim of my research is to question the roles of journalism and art in digital societies. In order to address my original research question, the thesis focuses on two complementary questions about the influence of digital media on twenty-first century societies:

a) Is digital media contributing to the development of a global public sphere in the twenty-first century?

b) Does digital media represent a solution to problems common in digital societies, such as the third world brain drain?

These complementary questions relate to the two parts (Parts 1 and 2) into which I have divided my thesis. The first question focuses on the digital public sphere and the second one focuses on the Colombian case study.

My research is based (and has been inspired) by my experience as an international student from Colombia in Australia, and as a journalist and artist in what may be called a paleo-digital world. Therefore, this project may be seen as a reflection on myself, as part of the third world brain drain, and about how someone in my position can use digital technologies to counter this problem. This research project goes beyond my personal experience and aims to propose a new approach which is conceived with the purpose of addressing the problems of a third world -or developing- nation like Colombia. Furthermore, the research also addresses how the academy in a first world -or developed- nation like Australia may contribute to (and benefit from) supporting an alternative model of journalism.