Audiovisual Narratives, Video Activism and Social Representations: Analyzing Rights-Based Digital Filmmaking in Türkiye

The construction of social reality is closely related to ideological structures and cultural representations, which determine how individuals see the world. Ideology works through discourse, media, and symbolic systems, serving to legitimize established narratives or provide opportunities for counter-discourses. Audiovisual narratives are a crucial part of media culture and representation, as they both embed and circulate representations that enter public consciousness. Regardless of the particular form this representation takes –whether it be cinema production, documentary filmmaking, or digitally based storytelling, such narratives are central in mediating social experience. They may help in preserving the existing power distribution but may also be used to limit and challenge power, as well as to focus on producing and reproducing the knowledge of marginalized voices. Therefore, video activism is a powerful method of social issue advocacy that employs audio visual means of storytelling for documenting injustices, raising awareness, and producing change. Since video activism is less susceptible to commercial and political manipulation than traditional mass media, it gives an opportunity to offer more independent and collective narratives, democratizing the production and circulation of social issues. The potential of such initiatives is recognized by the European Union’s Sivil Düşün program, which has for many years supported rights-based action in Türkiye, providing resources and expertise to people and collectives striving for justice and equality. Since March 2020, Sivil Düşün-funded CAM broadcasting platform archived 143 films, which implemented 22 human rights subject areas, and provided the communities with more engaging means for interacting with social issues. This study seeks to explore these phenomena by means of thematic content analysis of a CAM film sample to assess the film production around the rights in Türkiye. By mapping these trends, the study provides a framework for social-purpose filmmaking, assessing its potential to contribute to media activism, historical documentation, and public discourse on human rights.