How to Be Visible in Student Politics

Performativity and the Digital Public Space in Bangladesh

Dados Bibliográficos

ID3637422
AutoresJulian Kuttig (0000-0003-3785-1610, Ghent University), Bert Suykens (0000-0002-7581-8750, Ghent University)
Ano2020
Volume79
Fascículo3
Páginas707-738
Data de publicação2020-08-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoThe Journal of Asian Studies (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0021-9118 • E-ISSN: 1752-0401
EditoraDuke University Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1017/s0021911819001839
OpenAlexW2990015459
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas3
Referências citadas40

In Bangladeshi student politics, political performances in public spaces play an essential role in establishing patronage relationships and determining local authority structures. As Thomas Blom Hansen has famously argued, "visibility means everything" in such a context. With the emergence of social networking sites like Facebook, new digital public spaces have appeared. Focusing on ruling-party student activists at Rajshahi University, this article examines how student politicians in Bangladesh utilize Facebook to become visible in their everyday politicking. It shows how longstanding performative repertoires in the nondigital public space have gained a new salience through performances in the digital public space. It is those digital spaces that allow the performer to rearticulate even mundane everyday events as political performances. As these new digital public spaces impact the politics of visibility, it is crucial to integrate them in our efforts to understand local politics in South Asia and beyond

Aesthetics · Art · Geography · Media studies · Performative utterance · Performativity · Performing arts · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Public space · Salience (neuroscience) · Sociology · Visibility · Visual arts · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Bangladesh Politics, Society, and Development · Computer Science · Engineering · Gender Studies · Hong Kong and Taiwan Politics · Law