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Tasabehji, Zahira

University of British Columbia

Social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram have transformed activism, enabling individuals to participate in collective actions from their digital devices. While these platforms effectively mobilize support, their role as educational spaces and the transition from online engagement to offline activism remain understudied. This study adopts a public and critical pedagogy perspective to explore how digital activism via Social Media influences individuals' awareness, motivation, and sense of agency in offline activism. Through semi-structured interviews with 10 young adults aged 18-29, the research examines how Social Media functions as a platform for education and awareness-raising, motivates activism, and impacts individuals' sense of agency and efficacy. Thematic Analysis reveals that while social media is a powerful tool for raising awareness and lowering barriers to participation, it often struggles to sustain the critical engagement necessary for long-term social change. This research bridges gaps in the existing literature by exploring the nuances of how online engagement influences offline participation.

Text

2024-12-05

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/89789

Media and Technology Studies Education

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/