My research focuses on the transition spaces of documentary practice, specifically the ways in which political activism integrates emerging technologies, methods of documentary storytelling, community engagement and the intersections between visual art and documentary media. I arrive from a foundation in traditional photographic methods and visual art practices. I am most interested in practice led approaches to exploring and investigating the intersections of documentary practice and emerging technologies within activist, protest and human rights movements. Analysis of the confluence of practice based and traditional methods of research within the context of documentary media and lens based artistic practices are at the core of my research interests.
Publications
Book Chapters
2020 - 'Film, Video, and Digital Media Activism Collection: Regional Video Activism in India—Video Volunteers, Community & Empowerment’ chapter in InsUrgent Media from the Front: A Global Media Activism Reader, Indiana University Press
Journal Articles
Book Reviews
2013 - ‘Creating the Witness’, Studies in Documentary Film, Vol. 7 No. 3
Other Publications
2015 - 'Meaningful Witnessing in the United States, India & New Zealand: The Possibility Space for Digital Video Within Human Rights, Protest Movements and Activist Practices’, PhD dissertation at the University of Waikato
2012 - 'Bollywood on Handheld Himalayan Screens: Reflections on Development and Community’ book chapter in Serve, Learn, Lead: Reflections on Leadership and Development, Amber Books, New Delhi
2010 - 'Migrating Through India in Search of Indigenous Rights', Red Flag Magazine, Issue 3
2006 - Traditional Wisdom in Natural Resource Management, co- editor, Rural Litigation & Entitlement Kendra / Natraj Publishers with the National Law School of India University, Bangalore
Conferences
2015 - 'Meaningful Witnessing & Possibility Spaces for Documentary Online: An Examination of Case Studies from New Zealand/Aotearoa’ paper presented at Visible Evidence XXII, York University, Toronto
2014 - 'Mobile Video Technologies, Documentary Advocacy & Emerging Challenges: Vernacular Practices in India – A Workshop with Video Volunteers’ organized for Visible Evidence XXI, India International Centre, New Delhi
2014 - 'Emerging Forms of Citizen Video Activism: Challenges in Documentary Storytelling & Sustainability’ paper presented at Interactive Narratives, New Media and Social Engagement International Conference, University of Toronto
2014 - 'Assembling Nascent Video Practices Throughout India: Video Volunteers & Activism’ paper presented at The Indian Media Economy: New Perspectives from New Zealand – Research Symposium, Raglan
2013 - 'Catalyzing Relationships in Mobile Digital Documentary’ paper presented at Mobile Innovation Network Australasia [MINA] 3rd Mobile Creativity & Mobile Innovation Symposium, Auckland University of Technology
2013 - 'Documentary Media Far & Wide: The Role of Catalyst in the Digital Documentary Experience’ paper presented at Visible Evidence XX, Filmhuset, Stockholm
2012 - 'Evolving Modes of Digital Documentary Video Creation: Online, Offline & Streaming – Conversations with New Practitioners’ paper presented at Visible Evidence XIX, Australia National University, Canberra
2012 - 'Mobile Phone Video & Social Activism Within the Media Ecology of New York’ paper presented at MINA 2nd Mobile Creativity & Mobile Innovation Symposium, Massey University & The New Zealand Film Archive, Wellington
2012 - 'This Is Just Batting Practice: A Critical Reflection on Integrating Buddhist Beliefs Within Documentary Film’ paper presented at Society for Screen & Media Studies Conference (SCMS), Boston
2011 - 'The online home & the home movie online: Recent NFB interactive documentaries & the representation of home’ paper presented at Expanding Documentary VIII Conference, Auckland University of Technology
2011 - 'Pan American Migrations: from the Old Left to Third Cinema, from Hour of the Furnaces to Killer of Sheep’ paper presented at Visible Evidence XVII, New York University