The voice of unheard : Chai Khana and the importance of independent media in encouraging diversity and inclusion

Abstract: “The voice of unheard: Chai Khana and the importance of independent media in encouraging diversity and inclusion” is a master thesis focusing on the case study of Chai Khana, an independent media platform located in the South Caucasus and covering the gender-related stories from the region, and how it represents the voices of gender oppression and marginalisation. Through adopting a methods triangulation approach including the interviews, and textual and visual analysis, the collected data presented interconnectedness of independent media practices, diversity and inclusion, social imaginary and cultural citizenship. The findings of this study contribute to the media and communication studies by elaborating on how enabling social imaginary and cultural citizenship can provide a basis for addressing a region's social and political agenda and create a base for diversity and driving social change. The theoretical foundation for this study was based on two concepts covered in media and communication studies: social imaginary and cultural citizenship. Referring to the scholarly works of Peter Dahlgren in terms of exploration of new citizenship formats and Charles Taylor regarding understanding the roots of building social imaginary, the research explores the roles of both concepts in terms of media practices. Additionally, the findings of this research provide a foundation to comprehend how these two concepts can enable social change in the long term. The research findings can be summarised as follows: Firstly, to achieve diversity and inclusion through media, it is important to provide holistic media-making practice by including not only the perspective of protagonists but also the tone of the contributor and acknowledgement of the readers’ experience. Secondly, collective efforts and shared experiences are crucial to address the adversity of women and queer communities, and Chai Khana's case provides clear evidence. Lastly, democratic and inclusive societies can be achieved by activating social imaginary and cultural citizenship and building bonds among protagonists, contributors, and audiences through the encouragement of finding their own stories.