Democratizing Knowledge: A List of Online Resources for Young Activists

Using search tools on the internet can sometimes feel like hunting for a needle in a haystack. The plethora of information can be daunting, and it is often difficult to know whether a site has academic authority, biases, or hidden motives. With this in mind, I decided to create a list of online resources to supplement my posts. I focused on sites created by and for young people, and the sheer number of pages that I sorted through (and their overall quality and diversity) is inspiring. I ended up with the following list by applying Webby and IMSA criteria to judge each blog or site based on content, functionality, interactivity, navigation and visual design, keeping in mind that many of these sites are geared toward the young technological generation. I have added all of the links to my linkroll (on the left) and will also discuss them here.

I would like to begin with a site that I often use for my own research and whose content really cannot be beat. Global Voices Online is a non-profit founded at Harvard University that features blogs and articles written by credible authors around the world who are normally marginalized from mainstream media, and utilizes a network of volunteers to translate dozens of languages daily. The site is easy to use, with articles sorted by region and topic. It does not have many graphics or tools that may distract from the great content, although this also limits reader interaction with the site. Another, more specialized news source is WireTap Online Magazine, which is created by and for youth on national news and culture. WireTap has well-researched, diverse content using videos, blogs and stories. The graphics are complementary to the content, and even the advertisements on the sidebars are for youth voting organizations!

As the premier organization in the international community, the UN created Youth and The United Nations, which contains information on all of their programs that focus on youth, lists internships, ways to get involved, and relevant links from every region in the world. It is straightforward and simple, but important nonetheless. Two of the United Nations topic-specific programs also have sites geared toward kids, the UN Environmental Program's Tunza initiative and UNICEF's Voices of Youth. Both represent the UN's long-term strategy to engage children and contain information on what the UN and people around the world are doing. While both are quite basic, UNICEF's "e-consultation" is particularly noteworthy by giving young visitors a much needed voice on many issues. Another influential non-profit is the International Youth Foundation, which focuses on the holistic development of the world's rising generation. Like the UN sites, IYF has a lot of information from the field, but mostly publicizes its own programs. Mercy Corps' extremely well-designed page on their global engagement initiatives also has a wealth of information for those interested in global development (see image above of their Global Envision Online Magazine). All of these sites are important in the intellectual and policy circles, but may not appeal to young people simply because they appear to have been created by adults. However, there are many organizations run by young people. One example is the Global Youth Partnership for Africa, which was founded by a 22 year-old American and a 31 year-old Ugandan with the mission to foster understanding between rising American and African leaders through engagement. While largely self-promotional, this web page contains many ways to get involved for budding activists. Another organization, The Freechild Project, strives to aid and celebrate change led by young people around the world. It has pages with lists of resources that represent "guerilla research" that grows out of the community. While this site is more "grassroots," it lacks interaction and excitement with its basic layout and few graphics.

Western universities have been the leaders in the link between technology, media, and social change. One initiative is MIT's Center for Future Civic Media, which is essentially a blog whose posts present innovations in the field of media and technology. Yet its plain white background and lack of graphics reveal its academic origins and make it pretty dry. A much more interactive site in the US is GenerationEngage, a non-partisan initiative that seeks to give young Americans information to engage them in the political process. They do this through video-conferences and informative videos that are posted online and which you can download onto your iPod. The site is at the forefront of technology, but its primary target audience, young people who are not attending college and tend to be less engaged, may have a hard time navigating through such a complex site. Video-conferences are an example of the rise in global telecommunications, which has also facilitated the creation of social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. The youth culture associated with these sites tends to have a negative connotation, but the socially-conscious networks I found illustrate an active response to such criticisms. One example, YouthNoise, claims to be a MySpace for those with "deeper interests than Paris Hilton's wardrobe." Its cluttered format may make the site difficult to navigate for those over-18, also a problem on The Global Youth Fund. GYF improves by providing interactive tools such as polls and an "idea bank." The site's advanced level of graphics is seen in its beautiful YouTube promo video. In similar vein, Taking IT Global is a networking site that is easier to tap into, and with membership you get access to IT tools, discussion boards, and lists of global events. Its legitimacy is derived from partnerships with the UN, NGOs and corporations.

One of the most striking characteristics of social activism online is the sheer creativity in the ways that people are creating change. Inspired by the politically-conscious rap in Senegal, undergrad Ben Herson created the Nomadic Wax Global Hip-Hop Blog, full of cutting-edge graphics (see image on left), that focuses on hip-hop from the Palestine to Laos and Brazil. The Global Action Project also promotes arts and social change around the world, and supports itself by selling exceptional videos created by its young members on the site. Even the short clips are worth a visit. While not focusing explicitly on youth, National Geographic's All Roads Film Project promotes documentary filmmaking as a medium to enhance indigenous culture. I Buy Different is an environmentally-focused site that teaches young consumers how to make a difference just by buying differently. Like all of these youth-led sites, it is especially interactive with striking design. MobileActive.org focuses on the cell-phone and its 3 billion users worldwide to create social impact. It is a basic blog, but puts into focus another innovative topic that is below the radar of mainstream media.

I would like to end with one of the best examples of young people using technology for social change. MidEast Youth is a student-owned, unfunded network that promotes constructive dialogue within the Middle East and Northern Africa. It is homegrown, and uses freedom of expression to create social change in a region were speech is often censored, stereotypes abound, and minority voices are suppressed. Its simplicity gives an air of academia to a blog created by youth, which has given it credibility in the international community. The components of the site and overall content relate to different issues that the authors face, from interfaith to sex to comics. It is one of the best and most inspiring examples that I found that shows the true potential of youth putting technology to good use.