Social Network Websites and Social Movement Involvement

36 Pages Posted: 11 Dec 2011

See all articles by Elizabeth Schwarz

Elizabeth Schwarz

University of California, Riverside (UCR) - Department of Sociology

Date Written: September 15, 2011

Abstract

The Middle East revolutions in early 2011 brought attention to the involvement of online social networks in social movement activity. Using data from a survey of attendees fielded at the U.S. Social Forum (USSF), a national meeting of social movement participants, this research examines individuals who learned of the social movement event through social network websites (SNSs), such as Facebook or Twitter. Specifically, the study focuses on attendees’ offline protest activities and organizational memberships, while controlling for individual factors and other ways of hearing about the forum. Results show that learning of the USSF through SNSs significantly impacts attendees’ organizational memberships and the number of offline protests attended. Findings suggest activists should consider using SNSs to supplement more traditional social networks and information channels.

Keywords: social movement, Internet, social network website, protest, organizations

Suggested Citation

Schwarz, Elizabeth, Social Network Websites and Social Movement Involvement (September 15, 2011). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1970492 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1970492

Elizabeth Schwarz (Contact Author)

University of California, Riverside (UCR) - Department of Sociology ( email )

Riverside, CA 92521
United States

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