Contested Hashtags: Blockupy Frankfurt in Social Media

Authors

  • Christina Neumayer IT University of Copenhagen
  • Luca Rossi IT University of Copenhagen
  • Björn Karlsson IT University of Copenhagen

Keywords:

ethnography, social network analysis, activism, Twitter, social media

Abstract

This research starts from an activist-centric perspective and explores how different actors interfere in activist communication in social media. We pursue this inquiry through a case study of the Blockupy action against the opening of the European Central Bank headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, on March 18, 2015. The investigation combines an ethnographic inquiry into activists’ social media tactics with a social network analysis of Twitter hashtags to explore how these tactics materialize in social media. The inquiry enhances our understanding of the consequences of activists’ use of corporate social media by identifying actors, communication, and networks. Moreover, although activists define Twitter hashtags as theirs, our research shows increasing police use of them, hindering activists’ attempts to communicate alternative perspectives.

Author Biographies

Christina Neumayer, IT University of Copenhagen

Assistant Professor, PhDCulture and Communication research groupIT University of CopenhagenRued Langgaards vej 7DK-2300 Copenhagen Sphone: +45 7218 5096

Luca Rossi, IT University of Copenhagen

Associate Professor, PhDCulture and Communication research groupIT University of CopenhagenRued Langgaards vej 7DK-2300 Copenhagen Sphone: +45 7218 5036

Björn Karlsson, IT University of Copenhagen

Research AssistantCulture and Communication research groupIT University of Copenhagenphone: n.a.

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Published

2016-10-28

Issue

Vol. 10 (2016)

Section

Articles

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