I know, I know, it’s digital blasphemy to say that using Internet data is a terrible way to study social movements. What about all of those Twitter and Facebook revolutions of the Arab Spring? And Occupy Wall Street? #Ferguson and #BlackLivesMatter spread like wildfire, for God’s sake. You may think that I’m a luddite who [...]
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From French Resistance to hashtag activism: How our obsession with the extraordinary masks the power of the ordinary
I’ve become obsessed with “Un village français.” No, it’s not an idyllic town in Provence. It’s a French television series set during World War II. The show follows the residents of one French town as they navigate the German occupation. I tell myself that I am already into the 6th season (thank you, Netflix) because [...]
An Open Letter to Mark Zuckerberg: Is Facebook a Human Right?
Hi Mark, I just read your Facebook post: “Is Connectivity a Human Right?” and I thought I’d share my perspective (and answer) with you. First off, you’ve discovered that not every individual in this world has Internet access. Welcome. I’m a doctoral candidate in sociology up the road from you at UC Berkeley. Yeah, that [...]
