hashtag activism

Columns, Editorials

Nigerian schoolgirl kidnappings: not #hashtagactivism, Muslim activism.

By now, social media has ensured that we are all well aware of the kidnapping of over 200 Nigerian schoolgirls by the Boko Haram group. (Although if you’re still puzzling over why your friends have matching profile pictures, here’s a quick breakdown of the situation.) Now that this news has spread like wildfire and the West has identified the current third-world-tragedy-of-the-week, most of us find ourselves at a loss for what to do next.

Read More
Politics

Minority communities and the mighty tweet

The tweet is mightier than the sword.

Social media campaigns by members of minority communities are responding to racism and stereotyping in the media, and getting results.

For instance, last week, Asian American activists launched #CancelColbert in response to an offensive tweet posted by The Colbert Report’s Twitter account. They were hoping to achieve a similar outcome as American Muslims had with Alice in Arabia, an ABC pilot television programme that was cancelled following a Twitter offensive that highlighted the show’s stereotypes of Muslims.

Read More