Understanding the Circulation of Songs of Resistance via Social Media in Manipur, India

Abstract

Abstract Songs of resistance have been used widely to address the plight of people. They have served as a medium through which people could talk about oppression and injustice. They depict the reality and lived experiences of people. In addition, they reflect on the socio-political situation while, at the same time, questioning the state atrocities and also addressing the conflict between state and non-state actors, namely the armed underground organisation, the civil society organisations. This paper attempts to understand the circulation of songs of resistance in Manipur, India. As the use of cassette has stopped and selling CDs became financially non-viable for independent artists, social media has become one of the major channels to reach the audience. The artists who sing songs of resistance do not perform in street protests, and their songs are even not used in street protests. Concerts, crowd-funded events, and social media, then, have become a major means through which the songs are circulated. The current study discusses the role of social media in facilitating the circulation of these songs. The paper also addresses the issue of access and the role of fan pages in this process. Keywords: resistance, songs, social media, circulation, concerts