Philosophy

The Weave is a small but determined contribution to the "citizen journalism" movement that has arisen as a response to media consolidation and the failures of mainstream media to provide the depth of information and the breadth of perspectives that are crucial to a healthy democratic culture. Now more than ever, there is a need for citizens to create new spaces for dialogue and the sharing of new ideas.  Citizen journalism is built on the belief that if the mainstream media are falling down on the job, we should go elsewhere for our information-and we should actively get involved in the process of disseminating the information we find.

The Weave is also rooted in the conviction that we cannot develop ethical, effective strategies for creating positive social change unless we learn to seek out and take seriously a wide range of perspectives on pressing social issues.

The Weave is a place for listening, learning, and empowerment.

History of the project

Students in the "Global News Analysis" class taught in the Global Studies Department at St. Lawrence University originally created the Weave in 2006, inspired by the example of War News Radio and by global dialogue platforms such as Dropping Knowledge and TakingITGlobal.  The project quickly evolved into a series of student blogs focusing on underreported stories including the 9/11 Truth Movement, indigenous land rights in North America, the US practice of so-called "extraordinary rendition," the privatization of the military, and threats to the world's oceans.  The new site design was launched in the fall of 2007.