Soundtracks and Screens of Change

By: Alisa Adzhemyan

Across the world, both music and film serve as powerful platforms for social and political movements. From songs that unify protestors to films that project marginalized voices onto global screens, these creative mediums help foster identity, amplify activism, and mobilize change.

Music has long been a mobilizing force within social movements, enabling groups to articulate collective identity, express emotion, and sustain momentum. For example, Kyomugisha (2025) argues that music functions “not merely as a background element but as a dynamic agent of resistance and transformation,” drawing on case studies such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the Arab Spring. Similarly, Eyerman and Jamison (1998) link music and social movements by demonstrating how cultural traditions are mobilized and reformulated in political struggle. In these ways, music functions to build community, to give voice to dissent, and to transform values.

Film offers a complementary dimension to activism: through narrative, representation, and the mass reach of visual media, it can shape perceptions and bring issues across borders. Although less frequently cited in standard movement-theory texts, the intersections of film, music, and activism are visible in works that address racial justice, globalization, and cultural resistance. For instance, the documentary Amandla!: A Revolution in Four‑Part Harmony chronicles South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement through the freedom songs that accompanied protest. Moreover, films like Queen & Slim integrate protest-music traditions and cinematic narrative to speak to contemporary racial and cultural issues. 

The global influence of music and film is pronounced. With streaming platforms, social media, and international festivals, a protest song or socially-conscious film produced in one country can quickly circulate and resonate in another. The genre Nueva canción in Latin America, for example, blended folk music with left-wing social movements and democratisation efforts during the 1970s and 1980s across several countries. As such, these cultural forms help movements transcend national boundaries and enter a transnational space of shared values and activism.

Yet, while music and film are potent, they are not without limitations. Rabinowitch (2020) argues that music's capacity to effect social change is “complex,” varying across context, genre, and audience, and sometimes diluted by commodification. Similarly, film representations may risk oversimplification or the reinforcing of stereotypes even when intentions are progressive. Therefore, critical attention must accompany the celebration of these media.  Music and film are more than entertainment: they are vehicles of meaning, platforms of identity, and catalysts of collective action. They help shape how social movements form, communicate, and are remembered. As global connectivity grows, a song or film's ability to cross borders and reach new audiences amplifies its impact on movements worldwide. For activists, educators, and creators alike, the key may lie in leveraging these mediums while remaining aware of their subtleties and constraints. In an age of rapid change, the harmonies on screen and in sound amplify not only voices but the possibilities of justice.

---

Works Cited

 Eyerman, R., & Jamison, A. (1998). Music and social movements: Mobilizing traditions in the twentieth century. Cambridge University Press.https://voidnetwork.gr/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Music-and-social-movements-Mobilizing-traditions-in-the-twentieth-century-by-Ron-Eyerman-and-Andrew-Jamison.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com 

 Kyomugisha, A. (2025). The influence of music on social movements. Kiu Publication Extension. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/392620891_The_Influence_of_Music_on_Social_Movements 

 Rabinowitch, T. C. (2020). The potential of music to effect social change. SAGE Journals. https://doi.org/10.1177/2059204320939772

 “Music and social movements” (2010). Journal of Sociology & Social Policy, 30(1), 10-28.  https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9020.2010.00310.x 

 “What role can music inspire social change?” (n.d.). Facing History & Ourselves. https://www.facinghistory.org/ideas-week/how-can-music-inspire-social-change?utm_source=chatgpt.com 

---

Photo by Spook Handy