Mobilizing Hashtags to Change Societies: A Discussion With Sarah J. Jackson

We often hear about how social media creates echo chambers, but it also brings people together to raise awareness about injustice and create political pressure to rectify it. Professor Sarah J. Jackson, of the University of Pennsylvania, shares insights from the upcoming book that she cowrote: #HashtagActivism: Networks of Race and Gender Justice. The book uncovers “how marginalized groups use Twitter to advance counter-narratives, preempt political spin and build diverse networks of dissent.” We discuss the influence and history of activism and identity politics in the internet age.