Online Activism: Centering Marginalized Voices in Activist Work
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Date
2019-02
Authors
Mohammed, Wunpini Fatimata
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Fembot Collective
Abstract
This article contextualizes feminist activism within Northern Ghana, highlighting the complexities of activism in this society. I argue that although social media provides space for the articulation of marginalized voices, it is imperative to examine how cultural capital and an intimate knowledge of power dynamics within a socio-cultural context shapes successful activist work. Therefore, online activism when complemented by activist work offline, can be used to address injustices towards marginalized people. I contextualize the case within a religiously conservative society, emphasizing the role that an activist’s positionality can play in facilitating activist work. Throughout the article, I deconstruct activism, shedding light on the evolution and malleability of activism depending on whether or not activist work leads to concrete results. Therefore, I draw on critical technocultural discourse analysis (CTDA) to contextualize activist work that I engaged in, together with non-activist identifying people and feminist allies to seek justice for a woman who was front and center in our quest to address sexism publicly directed at her.
Description
11 pages
Keywords
allyship, feminism, Ghana, online activism, social media, technological determinism, digital public shaming
Citation
Mohammed, W.F. (2019). Online Activism: Centering Marginalized Voices in Activist Work. Ada: A Journal of Gender, New Media, and Technology, No. 15. https://doi.org/10.5399/uo/ada.2019.15.2