When materiality counts: The social and political importance of activist magazines in Europe

Abstract

This study examines the social and political importance of printed magazines at a time of social and mobile media. It draws on a cross-cultural ethnographic research amongst two different political organisations in Britain and Spain. Although differing in political cultures and strategies, both organisations invest their few economic resources in the production of printed activist magazines, as well as in the development of web platforms. This study investigates why for these political groups’ materiality matters. It argues that looking at why people – and especially grassroots political organisations – remain attached to material forms of communication, whilst at the same time developing online ones, can raise critical questions on the connection between subjectivity, political association and new technologies, as well as on the difference between individualised and collective forms of communication.