About

Cristina Venegas is an Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies at UC Santa Barbara, where she teaches courses related to history, criticism, and theory with an emphasis on Latin American film and media. Her research interests include media and history, Latin American cinema, internet and historiography, digital media, and education. She is the author of 'Digital Dilemmas: The State, the Individual and Digital Culture in Cuba' (Rutgers, 2010), which was recognized as an Outstanding Academic Title of 2010 by Choice Review, and co-editor of 'Digital Activism, Community Media, and Sustainable Communication in Latin America' (Palgrave, 2020). Venegas is working on a book project titled 'Julio García Espinosa and the Imperfect Imagination,' examining the legacy of the Cuban filmmaker's theory, creative practice, and cultural work. She has curated numerous film programs, served as a juror for international film festivals and script competitions, and co-founded the Latino CineMedia Festival in Santa Barbara. Additionally, she co-created a filmmaking program for Santa Barbara high school students, contributing to media education and activism.

Research topics

• Sociology
• Political Science
• Computer Science
• Art
• Media studies
• Engineering
• Geography
• Law
• Ecology

Selected publications

• Cecily Raynor and Rhian Lewis, eds. <i>Digital Encounters: Envisioning Connectivity in Latin American Cultural Production</i>

  University of Toronto Quarterly · 2025-08-01

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• 7 • JULIO GARCÍA ESPINOSA AND THE FIGHT FOR A CRITICAL CULTURE IN CUBA

  Rutgers University Press eBooks · 2022-10-12

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Activismo digital, medios comunitarios y comunicación sostenible en América Latina

  2022-01-01

  bookOpen access

  Este libro reúne trabajos académicos y activistas, así como perspectivas feministas, decoloniales e indígenas sobre medios comunitarios y activismo digital, incluyendo la comunicación libre y abierta en América Latina. Los ensayos de esta colección hablan sobre cambios y rupturas significativas que se han producido en la última década y que están reconfigurando los usos y las prácticas de los medios digitales. Los estudios de caso presentados aquí cuestionan muchos de los supuestos comúnmente sostenidos en torno a los medios de comunicación globales, la sostenibilidad y el acceso a la comunicación, al resaltar debates relevantes para la región y para países más allá de América Latina.

  PublisherDOI

• Sonidos del barrio: innovación, espacio urbano híbrido y trayectorias sonoras

  2022-01-01

  book-chapterOpen accessSenior author

  In the last two decades, the media and technology have been at the center of political and cultural conflicts in Latin America. Major battles over media power between the government and media corporations (Artz 2017; Follari 2014) have generated extensive public debate and media reforms in the region (Martens, Vivares, and McChesney 2014; Waisbord 2010). Community media organizations in Latin America and beyond have been at the forefront, challenging configurations of power and legislation related to media and technology. Latin America has a long history of community media organization and activism; in fact, the foundations of community radio go back to the early twentieth century in Colombia and Bolivia (Rodríguez 2001; Santiago García Gago, this volume). Community media have also played a fundamental role as alternative sources for the preservation of language and traditions (Beltrán 1983). In the 1970s and 1980s, Latin American scholars and activists focused their studies on the analysis of power and hegemony in the media (Beltrán and de Cardona 1980; Dorfman and Mattelart 1972), while in other parts of the world they focused on the study of the effects of the media.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Frontmatter

  Rutgers University Press eBooks · 2022-10-12

  book-chapterOpen access

  Media Matters focuses on film, tele vi sion, and media within a transnational and interdisciplinary frame: environmental media, media industries, media and democracy, information media and global media. It features the work of scholars who explore ever expanding forms of media in art, every day, and entertainment practices.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Introducción. Transformando los medios de comunicación digitales y la tecnología en América Latina

  2022 · 2 citations

  • Art
  • Geography

  In the last two decades, the media and technology have been at the center of political and cultural conflicts in Latin America. Major battles over media power between the government and media corporations (Artz 2017; Follari 2014) have generated extensive public debate and media reforms in the region (Martens, Vivares, and McChesney 2014; Waisbord 2010). Community media organizations in Latin America and beyond have been at the forefront, challenging configurations of power and legislation related to media and technology. Latin America has a long history of community media organization and activism; in fact, the foundations of community radio go back to the early twentieth century in Colombia and Bolivia (Rodríguez 2001; Santiago García Gago, this volume). Community media have also played a fundamental role as alternative sources for the preservation of language and traditions (Beltrán 1983). In the 1970s and 1980s, Latin American scholars and activists focused their studies on the analysis of power and hegemony in the media (Beltrán and de Cardona 1980; Dorfman and Mattelart 1972), while in other parts of the world they focused on the study of the effects of the media.

  PublisherDOI

• Activismo digital, medios comunitarios y comunicación sostenible en América Latina

  2022-11-17 · 1 citations

  book

  En las dos últimas décadas, los medios de comunicación y la tecnología han estado en el centro de conflictos políticos y culturales en América Latina. Importantes batallas sobre el poder mediático entre el gobierno y las corporaciones de medios de comunicación (Artz 2017; Follari 2014) han generado un amplio debate público, así como reformas mediáticas en la región (Martens, Vivares y McChesney 2014; Waisbord 2010). Las organizaciones de medios comunitarios en Latinoamérica y más allá de sus fronteras han estado a la vanguardia, al desafiar configuraciones de poder y legislación relacionadas con los medios de comunicación y la tecnología. América Latina tiene una larga historia de organización y activismo mediático comunitario; de hecho, los cimientos de la radio comunitaria se remontan a principios del siglo xx en Colombia y Bolivia (Rodríguez 2001; Santiago García Gago, en este volumen). Los medios comunitarios también han desempeñado un papel fundamental como fuentes alternas para la preservación del idioma y las tradiciones (Beltrán 1983). En las décadas de los años setenta y ochenta, académicos y activistas latinoamericanos encauzaron sus estudios al análisis del poder y hegemonía de los medios de comunicación (Beltrán y de Cardona 1980; Dorfman y Mattelart 1972), mientras en otras partes del mundo se enfocaban en el estudio de los efectos de los medios de comunicación.

  PublisherDOI

• Tech Disruption as Knowledge Production

  University Press of Florida eBooks · 2020-04-08

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding

  The chapter highlights some of the important questions raised by DH debates in work that problematizes the omission of critical race, gender, and class perspectives, with respect to the study of the digital, and builds on these perspectives to consider the ongoing dilemmas of the field in Cuba during a new era of transnational relations contributing to the further transformation of Cuban society. Across the Americas, new research is taking up questions that include an understanding of how digital social networks mediate Latinx immigrant sociality and activism, and how others articulate the problems of digital segregation.

  PublisherDOI

• Frontmatter

  Rutgers University Press eBooks · 2020

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Computer Science
  • Computer Science

  Media Matters focuses on film, tele vi sion, and media within a transnational and interdisciplinary frame: environmental media, media industries, media and democracy, information media, and global media. It features the work of scholars who explore ever-expanding forms of media in art, everyday, and entertainment practices. Under the co-direction of

  DOI

• Digital Activism, Community Media, and Sustainable Communication in Latin America

  Springer eBooks · 2020 · 18 citations

  • Political Science
  • Sociology
  • Political Science
  DOI

Frequent coauthors

• Patrice Petro

  University of California, Santa Barbara

  9 shared

• Elena Gorfinkel

  King's College London

  8 shared

• Tami Williams

  University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

  8 shared

• Etsa Franklin Salvio Sharupi Tapuy

  5 shared

• Min Wang Et al.

  Hohai University

  4 shared

• M Atters

  University of California, Santa Barbara

  4 shared

• Nataša Ďurovičová

  University of California System

  4 shared

• Aise Media

  University of California, Santa Barbara

  4 shared