Inflexions of Diaspora across Two Social Media Protests #FeesMustFall and #Jallikattu

Digital platforms have reshaped the role of diasporic communities in transnational activism, yet the factors that influence their engagement remain underresearched. This study examines the divergent diasporic responses to the #FeesMustFall movement in South Africa, which advocated for free and decolonised education, and the #Jallikattu protests against the ban of a 2,000-year-old bull-taming sport in Tamil Nadu, India. Whereas #Jallikattu mobilised widespread Tamil diasporic support through cultural and identity-driven narratives, #FeesMustFall failed to attract significant engagement because of its policy-focused framing. Using a comparative case study approach, the research analyses tweets, Facebook posts and YouTube content through critical discourse analysis. The findings reveal that movements which invoke cultural identity generate stronger transnational solidarity than those centred on structural issues. This study contributes to diaspora studies and digital activism by highlighting the importance of narrative framing in mobilising global communities. It recommends that activists and policymakers integrate identity-conscious strategies in digital campaigns to enhance diaspora participation in homeland struggles.