rhetorical-cultural memory – Dr. Christopher C. Odom, MFA, PhD

JUSTICE FOR GEORGE FLOYD: THE TIPPING POINT? is an international and domestic multi-award-winning documentary short film that explores the power of visual imagery and narrative, both online and in the real world, within social movements. The documentary was produced in partial fulfillment of my hybrid dissertation for a PhD in Texts and Technology, Digital Media from the University of Central Florida. The hybrid dissertation was an expanded version of the same topic which was comprised of a 62,000-word traditional written document, 3 code-based interactive generative scholarship artistic works, and a documentary short film.

Why study visuality and narrative?

In the academic world, there’s a distinction between what has been labeled hard and soft science. Hard science is based upon easily measured numbers and statistical data. Soft science refers to things that are not easily measured such as art and the humanities. However, it’s a false assumption that because something is easily measured that it also must have the most profound impact. In terms of social media, although a graphic might lead to 10 people clicking a like button, the video of a digital lynching might also light the spark to ignite a global social movement and cultural revolution.

So why did I decide to make a documentary as part of my dissertation?

In making the argument for why visuality matters, there is no better way to explore and communicate the power of visuality and narrative than to utilize visuality and narrative as a tool of its own exploration. The Justice for George Floyd Protests, as a social movement, marked a pivotal landmark in global culture for a demand for social justice and social change, particularly as it pertains to the systemic injustices routinely inflicted upon people of color and marginalized groups.

Through the lens of the justice for Gorge Floyd protests, my dissertation offers a critique, consultation, creation, and contribution to the visual imagery emerging from the digital activism of social movements. Built upon a foundation of counterpublics, critical race counterstory, counternarratives, the Black public sphere, rhetorical-cultural narrative, rhetorical-cultural memory, visual social semiotics, hashtag activism, and media framing and schemas, I engage in a rhetorical-semiotic-technocultural analysis of the justice for George Floyd protests, as a social movement. I position myself as a visual specialist artist, activist, academic, and advisor for social movements engaged in social justice and social change. I argue that culture, as moderator, traversed the rhetorical-semiotic-technocultural messaging of the visual imagery emerging from the digital imagery of the justice for George Floyd social movement which motivated global citizens to take to the streets to demand social justice and social change. Drawing upon the justice for George Floyd movement, I offer artists, activists, and academics ten activist strategic propositions for the preservation of the cultural narrative, memory, and history of social movements which may utilize visuality to withstand social movement backlash.

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