We are going through a period where higher education is constrained by a structural crisis of commodification, and traditional education methods are deeply challenged by digital advancements. Right at this juncture, it is necessary to reposition communication studies as a field that blends knowledge, skills, and competence, and integrates and internalizes theory with practice. My colleague Dr. Umut Yiğit and I have long been pondering over a model focused on the “producing subject” that serves precisely this purpose. By transforming the classroom into a laboratory, we had the opportunity to present and discuss at the Historical Materialism Conference in Barcelona how we can create breathing spaces within this neoliberal system for students, academics, and institutions alike.
As one of the most tangible domains of this model, Context Dergi represents a collective process where students discuss, write, design, and draw theory, personally take part in all production processes from video to audio, and produce with a critical approach across every medium. The tangible product of this labor, the 7th issue of our Context magazine (Technofeudalism special issue), which was published completely in English for the first time, was with us in Barcelona as a preprint and attracted intense interest; it will be open to general access very soon. We also plan to publish our paper, in which we methodologically evaluate this practical model and are currently preparing, as soon as possible. We would like to express our gratitude to all our student and academic colleagues who took part, produced, and thought along with us in this process.
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