From the Streets to the Feeds
The landscape of political activism has been irrevocably altered by digital tools. The Institute studies how social movements form, mobilize, and sustain themselves in the age of social media. We move beyond simplistic narratives of 'slacktivism' to provide nuanced ethnographic accounts of movements like #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, climate strikes, and pro-democracy protests around the world. Our researchers analyze how hashtags serve as aggregating symbols, creating a sense of collective identity and allowing localized grievances to scale into global conversations. We also trace how movements navigate across platforms—organizing on encrypted apps like Telegram, building narrative on Twitter, and amplifying visuals on Instagram and TikTok.
Networked Leadership and Affective Publics
Digital activism often favors networked, decentralized leadership structures rather than hierarchical organizations. This has advantages in resilience and speed but poses challenges for strategic coordination and decision-making. We study how movements develop informal leadership, trust, and accountability in these fluid environments. A key focus is the role of 'affective publics'—publics mobilized around shared feelings of outrage, grief, or hope. Digital platforms excel at amplifying affect, which can drive rapid mobilization but can also lead to burnout, performative outrage, and the simplification of complex issues into shareable slogans. Our research documents the emotional labor of digital activists and the toll of constant engagement.
Tactical Innovations and State Counter-Strategies
Activists have developed a rich repertoire of digital tactics:
- Hashtag Campaigns and Narrative Control: Fighting to control the story in a crowded media environment.
- Livestreaming and Sousveillance: Using smartphone cameras to document police brutality or protest scenes, turning the tools of surveillance back on authorities.
- Doxxing and Counter-Doxxing: The ethically fraught practice of exposing opponents' personal information.
- Memetic Warfare: Using humor and memes to critique power and recruit sympathizers.
Simultaneously, states and powerful actors have developed sophisticated counter-strategies. Our research documents digital repression, including internet shutdowns, targeted spyware (e.g., Pegasus), the use of troll armies and bots to sow disinformation and harass activists, and algorithmic demotion of activist content. We study how activists develop digital security cultures to protect themselves and their communities.
Furthermore, we critically examine the lifecycle of digital movements. Many face a 'scale paradox': the very features that allow them to viralize—simplicity, emotional resonance—can hinder the deep, long-term work of policy change and institution building. We study movements that successfully transition from online outrage to offline power, and those that fragment or fade. This research provides crucial lessons for anyone seeking to create social change today. It highlights the double-edged sword of digital tools: their power to connect and amplify, and their vulnerability to co-option, surveillance, and platform censorship. By grounding our analysis in the lived experience of activists, we contribute to more effective, ethical, and sustainable strategies for digital-age organizing.