Activism or “Slacktivism?”: Digital Media and Organizing for Social Change

Courses: Popular Culture and Media, Communication and Community, Critical/Cultural Studies, Organizational Communication, Rhetoric and Public Advocacy, other courses with a focus on the use of digital and social media to organize groups Objectives: In this single class activity students will (a) analyze notions of activism and “slacktivism” from scholarly and popular sources to apply these concepts actively to critical theory; (b) enhance their understanding of how digital media—specifically social media—influences contemporary efforts to organize people through digital media for social change; and (c) critically reflect on their own participation and perceptions of activism in advocacy groups.