Identity and Online Advocacy

#BlackLivesMatter, collective identity formation on Twitter to call for social and political change.

Abstract Using Black Lives Matter as an example I explore the use of hashtags on Twitter for the purpose of forming collective identity among users, as an effective mobilisation strategy for advocacy movements to rally for social change. However, I argue that the broad nature of tweets and hashtag adaptations which have surfaced that coincide with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, can cause misinterpretations and construct new meanings that may not align with the Black Lives Matter standpoint. Nevertheless, Read more […]