The London School of Economics and Political Science ‘I Predict a Riot’ – Mediation and Political Contention: Dissent!’s media practices at the 2005 Gleneagles G8 Summit Patrick M. McCurdy A thesis submitted to the Department of Media and Communications of the London School of Economics for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, London, March 2009. 1 Declaration I certify that the thesis I have presented for examination for the MPhil/PhD degree of the London School of Economics and Political Science is solely my own work other than where I have clearly indicated that it is the work of others (in which case the extent of any work carried out jointly by me and any other person is clearly identified in it). The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. Quotation from it is permitted, provided that full acknowledgement is made. This thesis may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the author. I warrant that this authorization does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of any third party. 2 Abstract International meetings such as the G8 Summit have evolved from the sequestered gatherings of the economic elite to full-scale political media events. Using the 2005 Gleneagles G8 Summit as a case study, and focusing on one specific ‘autonomous’ activist network – Dissent! – this thesis investigates how the process of mediation is articulated in activists’ practices in preparing and enacting acts of contention. Dominant approaches to such events in the field of media and communications are often text-centred, focussing on the media’s framing of protest, overlooking the actions against and interactions with the media at such sites. This oversight is significant given that contemporary political struggle occurs on the ground, as well as with and through the media. The theoretical framework applies past media/movement scholarship to emerging discourses on mediation which view media – its content, producers, users, technologies, culture and rituals – as an ongoing and reflexive process, actualised through analysing activists’ media-oriented practices (Couldry, 2004, Silverstone, 2005). The methodological approach follows Burawoy’s (1998) “extended method” drawing on a year of participant observation and 32 in-depth interviews. Analysis is undertaken on an activist, group and network level; before and at the Summit. The findings show that activists demonstrate a reflexive awareness of media, including lay theories of media which inform their actions. On a network- level, Dissent! established a policy abstaining from media interaction. Yet, despite this, on a group-level, the CounterSpin Collective formed within Dissent! to manage media interest. The Collective’s media practices are shown to be characterised by a strategy of dual adaptation; adapting to both Dissent!’s political limitations and the media’s demands. The analysis of the site of protest in Scotland – Hori-Zone eco-village – and the protest actions undertaken from it, further demonstrates the way in which media orients and permeates activists practices. The concept of spectacular action is developed to analyse a shift in the type of protest activities conducted at a media event from direct action to the simulation of direct action, valuing symbolic over physical disruption. This thesis contributes to a growing interest in the concept of mediation through the emerging field of media practice, offering both empirical evidence and revised theory. Moreover it addresses the largely neglected role of the media in social movement literature. Research undertaken also demonstrates how the logic of media now permeates the practice of activism, marking the rise of spectacular action as a cause for concern for both activists and academics. 3 Acknowledgements Writing a thesis is never a solitary activity, though many times it felt like it. However, this thesis would not have happened without the advice, support, direction and love of many family and friends. Special mention to Dr. David Taras, Dr. David Mitchell and Dr. Leslie Shade who encouraged me to make the move from Canada to study in the UK. I wish to extend my thanks to everyone in the LSE’s Department of Media and Communications and to my advisors of which I have had a few. Thank you to Professor Nick Couldry who was my formal supervisor until the Spring of 2006 and continued to be an important source of inspiration and direction afterwards. I am grateful for all our discussions which had a significant impact on my research. I am indebted to the late Professor Roger Silverstone for our conversations on mediation and sincerely wish he was still with us to take them further. Thanks to Dr Damian Tambini who served as an interim advisor during a time of transition in the department. I wish to thank my formal thesis advisors Dr Bart Cammaerts and Professor Terhi Rantanen for agreeing to take me on as a PhD student in the middle of my thesis. Your advice and direction throughout has been valuable but particularly your commitment to both me and my research during the final push of my thesis when stress was at its highest. Thank-you also to my PhD examiners Dr. Natalie Fenton and Professor John Downing for their helpful and much appreciated feedback during my viva. Thanks also to my fellow students and friends for reading various drafts of chapters (David, Maria, Michael, Antonis, Elizabeth, Zoe, Thane, Max and Nancy), conference papers and the like, and for our various discussions, most of which took place in s115. Thanks to the Research and Learning at the BBC World Service Trust for providing an amazing opportunity to work in London. I can only hope to have colleagues as friendly, hard working and intelligent to work with and for in the future. I am particularly indebted to Dr. Gerry Power at the Trust who has become both a trusted friend and a mentor. I wish to extend a special thanks to Simon for helping me set up my tent in a snowstorm and for driving me around during the Gleneagles G8 Summit. Thanks to Adam too for his stories. One of my clearest memories of the Summit was driving around Edinburgh on the first day I arrived in the city listening to the Kaiser Chiefs, “I Predict a Riot” and taking in the scale of the event and police presence. Thanks to everyone in Dissent!, particularly those who gave up their time to do an interview with me, and everyone in the CounterSpin Collective. Life in London is not easy or cheap. I would like to thank Kurt and Charlotte Weinberg for their commitment to Nansen Village and for providing an affordable place for international students to stay while studying in London. Similarly, I would like to thank Goodenough College – an oasis in London – where I have lived with my family during the last stage of my thesis. Living at the College has enriched my and my family’s time in London. Thanks for the support from our many friends, particularly our neighbours (old and new) at the College who always presented a welcome social distraction from my research and who will no doubt prove to be life-long friends. I would like to thank the various organisations who contributed towards the funding of my research including the Department of Media and Communications, LSE, the University of London - Central Research Fund, the Canadian Centennial Scholarship Fund and the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) for a Doctoral Fellowship (Award: 752-2005-0118). 4 Thanks also to Joe for the art tips and favours, and to the DD, a fine group of friends. I wish to thank my family. First of all my parents for their love, support and encouragement throughout my education and acquiescing to my endless requests for favours from abroad. Thanks, Mom, for the frequent chats which were always a welcome diversion; for the great Christmas packages every year; and for helping me keep my affairs in Canada in order while I have been in London. Dad, thanks for the shots at the lottery – let’s get those numbers right! Also, thanks to my brother Scott for his words of encouragement during this process. To my brother-in-law, Neil, I value the time we spent in London together and our various adventures, in some instances requiring a night bus home. To my mother-in-law Leona, thanks for the multiple trips to London, for helping take care of Lachlan while I worked on my thesis, and for the generous care packages. To my father-in-law Bill, I appreciated the chance to converse about Sudoku and my thesis in a pub or two. I am also very grateful for the long hours you put in at the British Library giving a full edit to my thesis. Katrina, when we met, I was a poor student and that is about the one thing which has remained constant. Not long after we met, we not only moved countries, but continents. We embarked on this journey with the warning of a roommate of mine that most couples she knew who did a PhD got divorced… so, what did we do? We got married! I realise that doing a PhD is like having multiple lovers – you need to balance your time with your thesis, your advisor(s), and your partner. However, it is always the latter whose time suffers. So, I appreciate your understanding throughout, and particularly in the final stages when I needed more and more time. Lastly, I wish to thank you for being such an amazing mother to Lachlan. Having Lachlan in our lives has brought about a type of happiness and love I didn’t know existed until he was born.