Saving cetaceans : documentary films, animal activism and power

Abstract: In modern times, the world has experienced the rise of a range of different large, well-coordinated social movements with the goal to make the world a better place for oppressed societal groups. One of these movements is the animal activist movement, with the objective to change the societal norms regarding facilitating and exploiting cetaceans through captivity at zoos- and marine mammal parks etc. In order to receive an understanding of the animal activist movement and how they are operating to evoke civic engagement and passionate participation for their cause, this study draws on theories from three different academic fields; Critical animal studies, Civic engagement and Critical media studies, and Documentary studies. The design of this study is a qualitative case study with a starting point in social constructionism. The empirical materials have been collected through a multi method approach, combining qualitative semi structured interviews with two animal documentary filmmakers, genre analysis of animal documentary films with a focus on aesthetics, and internet studies containing website analysis. This thesis analyze the different messages communicated through the public sphere media by the zoo- and marine mammal park industry and the animal activist movement, the authorial role of animal documentary films as well as the concept of civic culture underpinning the animal activist movement. As a final remark, this thesis emphasizes the large range of different power structures operating within this case study.