Research Proposal: The Role of Western Social Media in Amplifying Global Activism for Racial Justice

For my research paper, I will explore the question: How has Western
social media contributed to the global amplification of racial justice
movements like Black Lives Matter? This study will focus on the role of
platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok—primarily Western in origin—in
spreading awareness, mobilizing support, and inspiring similar movements across
the globe. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement will serve as a case study to
highlight how issues of racial injustice in the U.S. have gained worldwide
attention through the power of social media.

The research will examine how these platforms have been used to transform
local racial justice campaigns into global movements. By analyzing prominent
hashtags like #BlackLivesMatter and #SayHerName, I will delve into how Western
social media enabled the spread of these movements, allowing them to resonate
internationally.

To guide this research, the following questions will be explored:

1.    
How have Western social media
platforms contributed to the rise of global activism for racial justice,
particularly through movements like BLM?

2.    
How has hashtag activism, led by
the BLM movement on platforms like Twitter and Instagram, mobilized people
worldwide?

3.    
What role have social media
platforms played in turning local racial justice issues into global movements?

Subsections based on my
research questions:

·     
The
Role of Social Media in Promoting Racial Justice

·     
Western
Activism Campaigns on Social Media

·     
The
Case of  ‘Black Lives Matter’ and How it Turned into a Global Movement

By investigating these questions, I aim to link the role of digital media in
activism with social justice, demonstrating how online platforms enable
movements to transcend borders. Existing studies on social media’s impact on
activism (Gawthrop & Illingworth, 2020; Yang, 2016) and research on digital
mobilization (Mundt et al., 2020) will provide a basis for this research, offering insights
into how hashtag activism fosters international solidarity and awareness.

References:

Gawthrop, A., & Illingworth, C. (2020, June 20). The
Role of Social Media in Black Lives Matter | Redbrick Life&Style. Redbrick.
https://www.redbrick.me/the-role-of-social-media-in-black-lives-matter/

Mundt, M., Ross, K., & Burnett, C. M. (2020, October). Scaling Social
Movements Through Social Media: The Case of Black Lives Matter. Social Media +
Society, 4(4), 205630511880791. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305118807911

Yang, G. (2016, August 11). Narrative Agency in Hashtag Activism: The Case of
#BlackLivesMatter. Media and Communication, 4(4), 13–17. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v4i4.692

This proposal aims to build a cohesive understanding of how Western social
media serves as a driving force for global activism, with the BLM movement being a prime example of
how local injustices can spark worldwide responses through digital platforms.

I have used a couple of references as I needed to for my brief, but please add more where necessary and please make sure in-text citations are added. I will attach the guidelines for your information.