"I'm Speaking!" Intersectional Identity and TikTok as Influencers and Catalysts for Change

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Eleven
  In Roundtable Session: Critically Analyzing Media Texts and Discourses (Table 11)

Abstract

Social media has motivated citizens of various ages to express themselves about environmental issues, politics, and current events (Felmlee et al., 2020; Vitikainen et al., 2020). This study was designed to investigate how these influences may shape students’ ability to express themselves in non-academic settings. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on TikTok to study the influences of politics and social media on today’s students. By analyzing 360 TikTok videos with the hashtag, #madamvicepresident, the author investigated social media as a catalyst for self-expression regarding perceptions of power. Findings showed three themes of expression, 1) admiration, 2) emancipation, 3) representation and highlighted the ability of social media to provide all citizens with the opportunity to voice and share their truth.

Author

• Julie Sill, Old Dominion University
  Presenting Author