Strategic Social Media as Activism

Drawing on a range of theoretical and empirical perspectives, this volume examines the roles strategic communications plays in creating social media messaging campaigns designed to engage in digital activism. As social activism and engagement continues to rise, individuals have an opportunity to use their agency as creators and consumers to explore issues of identity, diversity, justice, and action through digital activism. This edited volume situates activism and social justice historically and draws parallels to the work of activists in today’s social movements such as modern-day feminism, Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, Missing Murdered Indigenous Women, and We Are All Khaled Said. Each chapter adds an additional filter of nuance, building a complete account of mounting issues through social media movements and at the same time scaffolding the complicated nature of digital collective action.The book will be a useful supplement to courses in public relations, journalism, social media, sociology, political science, diversity, digital activism, and mass communication at both the undergraduate and graduate level.

“This is a vibrant collection that includes contributions from a range of engaged scholarly perspectives and expertise. Together is provides readers with an instructive, interrelated conversation on digital activism. Most significantly the collection highlights a long history of activism, with featured spotlights on crucial but often overlooked figures and helps readers to see how digital activism fits into this larger trajectory. Overall, the collection works to ground and inspire those of us committed to social change and maps out a blueprint for sustainable actions for a better future.”Shana MacDonald, University of Waterloo, Canada.“As we approach the fourth decade of the twenty-first century, it is becoming increasingly clear that scholarship must critically reflect on how we arrived at a contemporary moment where social movements and social media intersect. This volume does just that by bringing together scholarly perspectives that critically examine activism in the digital age. It is a timely resource that centers the collective actions of communities leveraging social media to make significant contributions in society worldwide.”Tara L. Conley, Kent State University, USA

Adrienne A. Wallace is Associate Professor of Advertising and Public Relations in the School of Communications at Grand Valley State University, USA. Regina Luttrell is Associate Professor of Public Relations and the Associate Dean for Research & Creative Activity in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, USA.