In this thesis, I examine how two activist groups--the Electronic Disturbance Theater and Anonymous--have transposed Thoreauvian Civil Disobedience for the virtual realm to explore how
this shift of performance space also shifts traditional notions of performance. I further consider how these hacktivists, or hacker-activists, use the dynamic dimensions of cyberspace in a
way that allows for interesting intersections of actors and spectators while calling attention to the ethical implications and sociopolitical impacts of their actions. The thesis begins by
situating technology in a brief timeline of non-violent activism, establishing the internet as a necessary and useful site of political resistance able to provoke and incite change. Before
turning to my objects of study, I take time to distinguish malicious hacking acts from sociopolitical hacktivism acts to highlight the moral and legal ambiguity between the two. To then
provide an example of early hacktivist methods, I discuss how the Electronic Disturbance Theater has used technology and the internet in their performances of resistance, the ramifications of
their actions, and how hacktivism might evolve alongside the increasing sophistication and complexity of the internet. Finally, I introduce the hacktivist collective known as Anonymous to
explore how they have propelled and redefined online activism by incorporating simultaneous physical activism in their performances. / A Thesis submitted to the School of Theatre in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Fall Semester, 2013. / October 30, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references. / Mary Karen Dahl, Professor Directing Thesis; Krzystof Salata, Committee Member; George McConnell, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_252841 |
| Contributors | Hurst, Shannon (authoraut), Dahl, Mary Karen, 1945- (professor directing thesis), Salata, Krzystof (committee member), McConnell, George D. (committee member), Florida State University (degree granting institution), College of Visual Arts, Theatre and Dance (degree granting college), School of Theatre (degree granting department) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource (116 pages), computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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