The Internet:
A Tool for Social and Political Change
"Increasingly, online and offline activism are inseparable and complementary social-psychological instruments for politicisation, debate, mobilisation, and conflict."
This is one of the major conclusions of a literature review from Greijdanus et al. on the complicated relationship(s) between online activism and offline collective action. The internet and social media have inadvertently become integral to our political and social activism, and this is unlikely to change any time soon. In the face of what the internet is changing about the nature of activism, it is necessary to consider how it can best be utilized to enhance efforts towards change, rather than hinder them.
What is online/digital activism?
It should seem apparent from the name- online activism is political activism that takes place on the internet. The distinction is made because the internet has complicated how political activism often comes about presently. The conversation around online activism is mostly that of debate; many tote the enhanced ability of networking and dissemination the internet has brought about, and many are also quick to raise concerns about how online activity may interfere with or act as a substitute for real activism.
There are several prominent concerns about how social media might be negatively impacting activism. But what the recent literature shows us is that some of these broad concerns may actually be fallacious, and the link between online and offline activism is typically highly context dependent.
To learn more about these concerns and their empirical validity, explore the concerns page.
Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Mobilization
The literature does not currently indicate any clear negative relationships between various internet activities and frequency of offline action. There are, however, two clear positive relationships identified- which have promising implications for social media as a tool for mobilization and organized action. Click here to learn more.
Meaningful Political Participation
If you're interested in learning about how you might personally use social media as a tool to enhance your political participation, or how to be a better political participant in general, explore the Participate! page. The internet makes it easier than ever to find like-minded people and organizations that reflect your values and beliefs.
Explore the resources page for some relevant literature and my references!