Transformation through human rights films

Abstract

In an increasingly digital age, films have the potential to promote human rights activism that could transform society. A key question to ask is, how do we decide on the scientific value of these films, Sharlene Swartz explores whether film can serve a similar purpose to, for example, a qualitative interview with a key informant or an ethnographic case study, to bring about social change. Film can persuade, educate, entertain, inform and is relied on to `document, explain, expose, or complicate global human rights issues' according to US political scientist, Safia Swimelar.