Zines - History, the international network, zine types and topics, teaching zines in classrooms

HISTORY OF ZINES

- Underground Press: One could argue that in their loosest form zines exist since people began to write, copy and self-publish. Zines stand in this long tradition of self-publication. Historically, they could even be traced back to 1517 when Martin Luther published his "zine", the "Ninety-five Theses," a time when Johannes Gutenberg had just invented the printing press and self-publication began to spread. Self-publication has always been a political medium and frequently used to express resistance, for example during the French Revolution.

- Art, Artists' Books, and Mail Art: Self-publishing has been a method closely associated with several art movements in the 20th century. In journals, magazines, leaflets, and mail-art, Dadaist, Surrealist, Fluxus and Situationist artists employed techniques such as collages, bricolages, and detournment of magazine images and had a strong influence on zine editors later on. Since the 1990s, many young artists use zines to create their own creative spaces, distribution networks and audiences independent of the established gallery and exhibit system.

- Science Fiction Fanzines (1930-1960). As a distinct form, zines originated in the 1930's in the United States when fans of science fiction began to publish and trade their own stories. The term "fanzine" became recognized as the abbreviation of "fan magazine" and later on was shortened to "zine."

- Punk Zines: In the 1970s, when punk rock music emerged, the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) ethos found a fertile ground in zines. This ethos combined with the increasing accessibility of photocopy technology fueled an explosion of zines.

- (Riot) Grrrl Zines: When in 1991 the riot grrrl movement emerged out of the alternative and punk music scene in the United States, thousands of young women began to produce personal and political zines with explicitly feminist themes. Bikini Kill called in their manifesto upon young women to form bands, to mutually learn and teach instruments and to publish zines. Nowadays, some women ("grrrls") who grew out of the riot grrrl movement have chosen to reclaim the title and call themselves "ladies." Their politics remain devoted to assertive feminism and activism.

- E-Zines: During the 1990s the zine network expanded enormously into the realm of e-zines. In addition to the typical objectives, these online zines serve often as resource and network sites. But although the Internet makes e-zines available worldwide and allows geographically isolated people to correspond, one should not forget that it is still a privilege to have access to computer-technology.

History resources:
Zine Book: http://www.zinebook.com/directory/zine-history.html
Heath Row: From Fandom to Feminism: An Analysis of the Zine Press (1997) http://www.geocities.com/echozinedistro/history.html

How do zines look like?

Who does zines?

TYPES OF ZINES and THE INTERNATIONAL ZINE COMMUNICATION AND DISTRIBUTION NETWORK:

- Personal and Political
rock start with words (US)
girlswirl (US)
Framing Historical Theft (Philippines)
Pretty Ugly (Australia) - http://www.pretty-ugly.com/

- DIY - art & crafts & hobbies
France and ambers apartment (US)
Ladyfriend zine (US) - http://ladyfriend.homestead.com/
Arts & crafts revolution (US)
glue magazine (US) - http://www.gluemagazine.com/
hope (US)
Ker-bloom (US)
food geek (US)
Cruiser - a zine about cruiser bikes (US)
Travelling Shoes (US)

- Politics and Activism
Clamor Magazine (US) - http://www.clamormagazine.org/
The CIA makes Fiction unexciting (US)

- Abuse - Violence Against Women
Bendita: latin's women initiative against violence towards women (Brazil) - http://www.benditazine.com.br/
Fight Back! (Sweden)
Women's Self-Defense: Stories and Strategies of Survival (US)
Take Back the News! (US) http://www.takebackthenews.net/

- Mental and Physical Health
Doris: DIY antidepression guide (US)
driving blind (US) - http://www.drivingblind.org

Zines in classrooms / zine workshops:

If more time available (2-3 weeks):
- making a zine together: handing out zines, students choose a zine, take them home, review them, discuss topics in class, vote on one or everyone writes about an issue that is of interest to her or him, responsible for 2-4 pages, drafts, feedback from other students, assembling zine together, handing out photocopied zines, trying to distribute it locally or/and via distros
- writing of zine reviews
- screening of the video Grrlyshow by Kara Harold: http://www.grrlyshow.com. 18 min, 2001 (distributed by Women Make Movies, http://www.wmm.com/) or/and D.I.Y. Or Die: How To Survive as an Independent Artist by Michael Dean (Spanning a whole range of media including music, film, performance art, graphic design and publishing) 2003?.

Zine workshop in one afternoon:
- making a zine together: showing zines, explaining what and why, history, everybody does a page, photocopying

Interesting questions to discuss:
- What are the differences between mainstream media and alternative media?
- How are zines used as a tool of self-discovery and empowerment?
- What will be the future of zines? Will print zines disappear?

KRISTIN G. CONGDON AND DOUG BLANDY: Zinesters in the Classroom: Using Zines to Teach about Postmodernism and the Communication of Ideas. Art Education 56, no3, 44-52, May 2003.

AMY J. WAN: Not Just for Kids Anymore: Using Zines in the Classroom. Radical Teacher, no55, 15-19, 1999.

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© 2001-2004 elke zobl

ZINES - zine history, the zine network, topics, and teaching zines in classrooms by Elke Zobl (April 2004)

ZINES -
zine history, the zine network, topics, and teaching zines in classrooms

by Elke Zobl
(April 2004)