It's Goin' Down in the DM: Social Media as a Counter-Space for Scholarly Sisterhood

• In Event: Creating Digital Counter-Spaces: Exploring Social Media, Science, and Culture in the Data Age

Abstract

This study highlights how social media is utilized as a counterspace for women of color pursuing their doctorate degrees. The aim is to show the value of community building while pursuing higher education and to highlight the efforts being done to create counterspaces. A visual narrative inquiry is used to provide an analysis of the visual and linguistic data exchanged via direct messages. Overall we have concluded that without the use of social media as a counterspace, feelings of isolation, lack of representation and belonging would sustain making it harder to actualize doctoral degree attainment for Black and Brown women. Through these counterspaces, women find support, source inspiration and find a level or resilience through storytelling.

Authors

• Mara Lopez, Arizona State University - Tempe

• Reka C. Barton, California