Examining #NativeLivesMatter and Twitter Activism of American Indian Victimization Issues

• In Event: Social Media's Role in Activism

Abstract

Extant research has underscored social media’s ability to serve as a space for alternative discourse on social issues that are otherwise underrepresented or ignored in mainstream media. American Indian victimization, particularly at the hands of the state remain highly underreported in mainstream media. Using neoliberalism and the carceral state as a theoretical basis, this paper explores the emergence and current social media presence of the #NativeLivesMatter movement in response to state crime, particularly the criminal legal system. The analysis uses Twitter as its platform with a distinct focus on the ongoing dialogue between the #BlackLivesMatter and the #NativeLivesMatter movements in an interactive,online space. Overall, this paper informs how social media platforms continue to be a critical space for both addressing issues that are often eschewed to the periphery of mainstream media and as a tool for both mobilizing and sustaining social movements.

Authors

• Brian Pitman, Old Dominion University

• Lena Campagna, University of Massachusetts Boston

• Roderick Graham, Old Dominion University