Communicative sovereignty in Latin America: The case of Radio Mundo Real

Abstract

Communicative sovereignty is emerging as an anchoring concept for community and alternative media in Latin America. The usage of the term is often unclear, however, especially as it relates to the current historical juncture. This article therefore presents a detailed analysis of the work of RadioMundoReal.fm (RMR), a regional alternative news production and distribution service that supplies content to local community media outlets. Findings show that RMR makes national struggles and regional events more visible, but users feel it should support the construction of alternative ways of living and communicating. This suggests that the concept of communicative sovereignty, as it is evolving in Latin America, reflects shifting approaches to both expressions of authority and alternative media work. The challenge is to develop media strategies that support emerging goals.

Energy Sovereignty: A Values-Based Conceptual Analysis

“…While the sovereignty ideal has been applied to other sectors, such as data and media (Hummel et al, 2021;Reilly, 2016), we will base our examination on the demands specified for agriculture as they have had the strongest influence in and outside academia (Edelman, 2014). The main advocacy for food sovereignty is done by Via Campesina, the largest peasant organisation of the world, composed of over 180 member organisations from more than eighty countries (Via Campesina, 2018), constituting the largest and most diverse non-governmental organisation seeking alternative production models based on popular control of food production and distribution channels (Menser, 2008).…”