Marta Cooper
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I am a British/Italian freelance writer and blogger interested in the intersection of media and politics, with particular reference to issues of censorship, civil society and social and political reform. I am fascinated by the future of journalism and press freedom in the digital age and the pace of change in emerging markets.
I am currently an editorial assistant at Index on Censorship in London. Since October 2009 I have written about Brazil and China for Global Voices Online, where I sit on the Board of Directors.
From 2009 to 2011 I lived in Shanghai, China, where I studied Mandarin and contributed to Shanghaiist, Shanghai Daily, The China Beat and the China Economic Review. I have also written for openDemocracy.
I have an MSc (Merit) from the London School of Economics in Global Media and Communications, and a 1st Class Honours degree in History from the School of Oriental and African Studies. I speak Italian, Portuguese and Mandarin Chinese.
Twitter: @martaruco.
Latest posts by Marta Cooper
21 November 2010
Brazil
To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (November 25th), a group of Brazilian feminist bloggers will take part in five days of cyber activism [pt]. Those involved will post interviews with activists and lawyers to raise awareness of causes, consequences and prevention of the practice. Meanwhile, online collectives have been set up on social networking sites Facebook and Orkut, and the hashtag #FimDaViolenciaContraMulher (an end to violence against women) has begun trending on Twitter.
20 November 2010
Brazil
To mark Brazil's annual Black Awareness Day (Dia da Consciência Negra), journalist and blogger Elaine Tavares explains [pt] why she is proud to be Afro-Brazilian. Meanwhile, celebrations and cultural events [pt] to commemorate the day in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador are in full swing.
19 November 2010
China
Writer and analyst Bradley M. Gardner weighs in on billionaire entrepeneur Eike Batista's plan [pt] to bring Apple’s manufacturing process to Brazil. Gardner writes that Batista “wants his country to be China”, where Apple's products are currently manufactured. He adds that he “wouldn't put it past” Batista, the world's eighth-richest man, “to recreate Taiwan in the Amazon rainforest.”
Brazil
Enéas de Souza, blogging at Sul21 [pt], examines how president-elect Dilma Rousseff will deal with the huge surge in Brazil's currency that has led Goldman Sachs to classify it as the most overvalued in the world.
16 November 2010
China
53 lives were claimed and 43 others remain missing as a result of the tragic fire that ripped through a high-rise apartment block in Shanghai yesterday afternoon. The 28-storey building was undergoing renovations when welding sparks caused the scaffolding to catch fire, eventually spreading to the building itself. City blog Shanghaiist provided much of the breaking news, as well as survivor stories. Danwei also provided original reporting, while Shanghai Monthly has criticised local media coverage of the event.
15 November 2010
Brazil
The second annual Fórum da Cultura Digital Brasileira (Brazilian Digital Culture Forum) [pt] has begun in São Paulo. Due to run until 17th November, the forum aims to bring together cultural initiatives and communications-related organisations “in order to promote the development of public policies for the digital age” [pt].
China
A high-rise apartment block in downtown Shanghai became engulfed by flames at around 2pm this afternoon. Early reports say firefighters are trying to rescue residents and construction workers still trapped inside the building. Photos from the scene are available here [zh] and here.
7 November 2010
China
Controversial and outspoken Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was on Friday placed under house arrest for, it seems, planning to host a dinner for 1,000 people to commemorate the demolition of his Shanghai studio. Meanwhile, updates and images [zh] coming in from Twitter show that many have continued to gather outside Ai's studio today for the banquet.
4 November 2010
Brazil
Lirabellaqua, from blogging collective Trezentos [pt], and political blogger Rodrigo Vianna [pt] weigh in on the recent slew of online hate speech [pt] that has targeted north-eastern Brazilians who voted for president-elect Dilma Rousseff. Supporters of Dilma's opponent, Jose Serra, spread tweets condemning voters in the impoverished region, where Dilma won a landslide victory, claiming they are “uncivilised” and take advantage of welfare programmes such as the Bolsa Família to survive. In response, the hashtag #orgulhodesernodestino (proud to be north-eastern) has begun trending on Twitter.
1 November 2010
China
As the Shanghai 2010 World Expo has drawn to a close, Shanghai Scrap's Adam Minter looks at why the six-month long extravaganza mattered, and how foreign correspondents missed an opportunity in covering it.
==> As Africans we need to let go of our victimhood, inferiority complex & acceptance...