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Protest in Digital Age


Protest has been part of human societies for millennia. Movements such as Black Lives Matter and Me Too offer a powerful reminder of the continued relevance of activism in the 21st century.
While these examples of protest share a common DNA with historical civil rights and gender equality movements, activists today operate in a world where digital technology affords particular advantages and disadvantages that have changed how we engage with protest and dissent. We now have constant access to a steady stream of information about dissatisfaction with the state of our world, who is alleged to be responsible for the situation, and who is calling for change.
Consequently, it has never been easier for activists to disseminate messages, educate the public and encourage participation by like-minded people.

Digital technology has also been criticized for facilitating ‘armchair activism’, in which dissent can be expressed in a single click or tweet instead of substantive action to achieve genuine change and.
How does digital technology change the way activists operate compared to historical models of protest and activism? What can today’s activists learn from historical instances of protest? What impact does online activism have upon the importance of space and place to protests? How do new and emerging technologies change the way we understand and value online engagement as a form of protest and activism? How can these understandings assist activists in developing more effective strategies for achieving their goals in the future?

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