Being ‘apolitical’ sounds like being neutral – but it isn’t. Can Macklemore’s removal from the Loop tour over his ‘free Palestine’ stance be defended at all?
Articles on celebrity activism
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Tabloids are trying to frame the Beartooth frontman’s coming out as gay as a scandal. This moment says a lot about LGBTQIA+ representation in metal.
Celebrity endorsements matter, and there are none bigger that one from Swift. It will help mobilise an underestimated political force: young women.
While celebrities are unlikely to decisively shift whom many people choose to vote for, their endorsement of a political candidate can still help shape an election.
The producers are recasting the show as a documentary. The original version would have done more harm than good for the causes being showcased, two scholars argue.
Once, the way we viewed celebrities was framed by the legacy press and the entertainment industry. Now fans and social media are rewriting the script.
It’s worth thinking carefully about how to give, to ensure you’re not wasting your contribution or inadvertently making things worse.
Throughout American history, being a black celebrity has been a political act in and of itself. When viewed through this lens, the transition into politics for someone like Winfrey is more natural.
Charities, like all brands, are in a constant battle for attention – and they must win eyeballs more than hearts.
But they haven’t been without controversy.
Americans enjoy a right to free speech, and some public figures really exercise that right. The Constitution might not protect them the way they think it does, though.
The relationship between advocacy organisations based in Western capitals and their marketed constituency of marginalised and disadvantaged African groups is tenuous. What then, is the goal?
Just because they are famous doesn’t mean they know what they are talking about.
Celebrities help make causes known to larger audiences and can be effective in obtaining pledges from policymakers. Yet their simplified advocacy messages can lead to ineffective or harmful policies.
Top contributors
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Reader in International Development, University of Bath
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Lecturer in Events and Tourism, Goldsmiths, University of London
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Associate Vice President for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Clemson University
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Senior lecturer, University of Edinburgh
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Associate Professor of History, University of South Carolina
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Senior Marketing Scientist, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, Adelaide University
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Senior Research Associate, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, Adelaide University
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Director of Undergraduate Studies, School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, Cardiff University
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Senior Lecturer in Tourism and Cultural Industries Management, University of East London
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Researcher in the Department of International Development, University of Oxford
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Adjunct Industry Fellow, Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University of Technology
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Senior Researcher, Human Rights Center, Eurac Research
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Professor of Globalization, Copenhagen Business School
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Emeritus Professor, New Media, Communication and Cultural Studies, Deakin University
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Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley