Social Media for Social Change? Developing Social Media Strategies to Influence Negative Cultural Assumptions ZEELAF MAJEED @zeelafm [email protected]https://ca.linkedin.com/in/zeelafmajeed Why Social Media? Social media is a powerful and ubiquitous tool in our digitally connected world. There are literally billions of people on social platforms, 1.65 billion monthly active users on Facebook alone, the majority on mobile devices (“Top 15,” 2016). Most people use social networks to share news and events from their lives, which may be anything from vacation photos to cute cat videos. With millions of people connected on various social platforms, however, it makes sense to explore how these digital communities can be mobilized by activists to participate in social change campaigns that can lead to social good. Some successful campaigns come to mind immediately, like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. It has generated more than 17-million videos of people dumping buckets of ice water on their heads, and has raised $115 million for ALS research (Rogers, 2016). The extra funds may have hastened a breakthrough - the discovery of a new gene tied to ALS. But what happens when the cause is not something as defined and uncontroversial as ALS research? What if the social cause is more complex, uncomfortable and potentially divisive? How do we talk about systemic social issues like racism in Canada, and how do we know if social media outreach is making, or can make, a difference? What is the best way to measure social media’s impact on negative cultural assumptions, and how do we sustain any progress made? For those who do the work of advocating for social change, what are the best practices and the limitations of a social media campaign? Why Women Who Wear Hijab? Women who wear hijab are visibly Muslim and, therefore, easily targeted. Since former PM Stephen Harper attempted to ban the niqab (full face veil) from Canadian citizenship ceremonies in 2015, there have been numerous reports of violent attacks on Muslim women who wear hijab. In Ontario, a Toronto woman was viciously beaten and called a terrorist while picking up her children from school. A London woman was spit on, punched several times, and had her hijab pulled while grocery shopping with her baby (Da Silva, 2016). I interviewed six Toronto-based women who wear, or have worn, hijab, to hear about their experiences. All had stories to tell about negative events, from persistent assumptions that they do not speak English, are oppressed, and/or are uneducated, to more troubling accusations that a woman who wears hijab must harbour the kind of extremist religious views championed by terrorists. This project developed a social media campaign that raised public awareness about some of these negative and dominant cultural assumptions, and challenged those stereotypical notions with stories about the real lives and experiences of women who wear hijab. The goal: to determine if different perspectives shared by the community affected could influence participant attitudes and assumptions towards this cultural group. Research Methodology Because this study involved humans, it was reviewed and approved by Ryerson’s Research Ethics Board. Research participants were recruited in-person and online. Participation Criteria: • 18+ • Access to a computer and the Internet. Participants were asked to follow a two-week social media campaign, and answer a pre and post campaign survey. The first survey asked participants what they thought they could tell about a person from a head covering, and then specifically what they could tell about a person in a baseball cap (non-religious headgear) and a person in a hijab (head scarf worn by Muslim women). The second survey asked participants if the social media campaign had any effect on their thinking, and if yes, in what way. Participants were also asked to state the most effective campaign content (as well as the least), and if they thought the campaign had successfully challenged negative assumptions about Muslim women who wear hijab. Community Partnership The social media campaign was created with CCMW Toronto and posted on its social media channels (Facebook and Twitter). The advice and insights shared by executive members of this organization ensured the campaign represented the diverse perspectives and lived experiences of Muslim women who wear hijab. Social Media Campaign After researching the experiences of Muslim women who wear hijab in Canada, we identified the common negative assumptions, which led to the development of four content themes for the social media campaign: • Profiles of successful women in hijab to show their positive contributions to society • Stories that challenge dominant and persistent assumptions about women in hijab e.g. they are oppressed, uneducated, do not participate in sports, politics, the arts • Humour to explore uncomfortable topics e.g. a satirical ad for gum that cures Islamophobia • Topical issues, e.g. Ramadan, OCASI/City of Toronto anti-Islamophobia campaign Here are examples of two profiles we shared: • Ted Talk by Dalia Mogahed, author, researcher and advisor to US President Obama • Article on Stephanie Kurlow, an Australian teen who aims to be the world’s first ballerina in hijab Research Findings Ten participants completed both surveys. In the first survey, when asked what they could tell about people wearing baseball caps, participants said one or more of these three things: • They are sports fans, they are seeking sun protection, they are hiding bad hair or bald heads. When asked what they could tell about women in hijab, participants said: • They are religious and/or Muslim. (8/10 participants) • Three participants raised concerns that some Muslim women may have been “bullied” into wearing hijab, and that this particular group may not be as “thoughtful” because of their particular beliefs. One participant called hijab an “outdated misogynistic cultural practice.” After the social media campaign: • Seven participants said it had successfully challenged negative assumptions about Muslim women who wear hijab • Five participants said the campaign influenced their thinking, broadening their perceptions, and helping them identify some of their own assumptions. • Participants said they were most influenced by the profiles of successful women who wear hijab Conclusions Though the sample size was small, it is encouraging that half of the participants experienced a positive change in their perceptions of Muslim women who wear hijab. Participants said they were most influenced by the profiles of successful women who wear hijab, which seems to indicate that positive stories might have more impact than negative ones. Indeed, posts about a controversial anti-Islamophobia campaign that was launched during this study’s social media campaign performed poorly in terms of views, likes and shares. Community activists advocating for social change on social platforms may do well to take a celebratory approach, and to share the stories that members of their affected communities want to tell. My research explores how social media can effectively be used by community activists to challenge negative assumptions about Muslim women who wear hijab. A social media campaign was created in partnership with the Canadian Council of Muslim Women (Toronto chapter) and run over a two-week period. Ten participants followed the social media campaign, and answered a survey before and after the campaign. Most participants (7/10) said the campaign successfully challenged negative stereotypes about women who wear hijab, and half reported the campaign positively influenced their ideas, broadening their perceptions, and identifying their assumptions about this issue.
Transcript
Social Media for Social Change?Developing Social Media Strategies to Influence Negative Cultural Assumptions
Why Social Media? Social media is a powerful and ubiquitous tool in our digitally connected world. There
are literally billions of people on social platforms, 1.65 billion monthly active users on
Facebook alone, the majority on mobile devices (“Top 15,” 2016). Most people use social
networks to share news and events from their lives, which may be anything from vacation
photos to cute cat videos. With millions of people connected on various social platforms,
however, it makes sense to explore how these digital communities can be mobilized by
activists to participate in social change campaigns that can lead to social good. Some
successful campaigns come to mind immediately, like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
It has generated more than 17-million videos of people dumping buckets of ice water
on their heads, and has raised $115 million for ALS research (Rogers, 2016). The extra
funds may have hastened a breakthrough - the discovery of a new gene tied to ALS.
But what happens when the cause is not something as defined and uncontroversial as
ALS research? What if the social cause is more complex, uncomfortable and potentially
divisive? How do we talk about systemic social issues like racism in Canada, and how
do we know if social media outreach is making, or can make, a difference? What is the
best way to measure social media’s impact on negative cultural assumptions, and how
do we sustain any progress made? For those who do the work of advocating for social
change, what are the best practices and the limitations of a social media campaign?
Why Women Who Wear Hijab?
Women who wear hijab are visibly Muslim and, therefore, easily targeted. Since former
PM Stephen Harper attempted to ban the niqab (full face veil) from Canadian citizenship
ceremonies in 2015, there have been numerous reports of violent attacks on Muslim
women who wear hijab. In Ontario, a Toronto woman was viciously beaten and called
a terrorist while picking up her children from school. A London woman was spit on,
punched several times, and had her hijab pulled while grocery shopping with her baby
(Da Silva, 2016). I interviewed six Toronto-based women who wear, or have worn,
hijab, to hear about their experiences. All had stories to tell about negative events,
from persistent assumptions that they do not speak English, are oppressed, and/or are
uneducated, to more troubling accusations that a woman who wears hijab must harbour
the kind of extremist religious views championed by terrorists. This project developed
a social media campaign that raised public awareness about some of these negative
and dominant cultural assumptions, and challenged those stereotypical notions with
stories about the real lives and experiences of women who wear hijab. The goal: to
determine if different perspectives shared by the community affected could influence
participant attitudes and assumptions towards this cultural group.
Research MethodologyBecause this study involved humans, it was reviewed and approved by Ryerson’s
Research Ethics Board. Research participants were recruited in-person and online.
Participation Criteria:
• 18+
• Access to a computer and the Internet.
Participants were asked to follow a two-week social media campaign, and answer
a pre and post campaign survey. The first survey asked participants what they
thought they could tell about a person from a head covering, and then specifically
what they could tell about a person in a baseball cap (non-religious headgear) and
a person in a hijab (head scarf worn by Muslim women). The second survey asked
participants if the social media campaign had any effect on their thinking, and if
yes, in what way. Participants were also asked to state the most effective campaign
content (as well as the least), and if they thought the campaign had successfully
challenged negative assumptions about Muslim women who wear hijab.
Community PartnershipThe social media campaign was created with CCMW
Toronto and posted on its social media channels
(Facebook and Twitter). The advice and insights shared
by executive members of this organization ensured the
campaign represented the diverse perspectives and
lived experiences of Muslim women who wear hijab.
Social Media CampaignAfter researching the experiences of Muslim women who wear hijab in Canada,
we identified the common negative assumptions, which led to the development of
four content themes for the social media campaign:
• Profiles of successful women in hijab to show their positive contributions to society
• Stories that challenge dominant and persistent assumptions about women in hijab
e.g. they are oppressed, uneducated, do not participate in sports, politics, the arts
• Humour to explore uncomfortable topics e.g. a satirical ad for gum that cures
Islamophobia
• Topical issues, e.g. Ramadan, OCASI/City of Toronto anti-Islamophobia campaign
Here are examples of two profiles we shared:
• Ted Talk by Dalia Mogahed, author, researcher and advisor to US President Obama
• Article on Stephanie Kurlow, an Australian teen who aims to be the world’s first
ballerina in hijab
Research FindingsTen participants completed both surveys.
In the first survey, when asked what they could tell about people wearing baseball
caps, participants said one or more of these three things:
• They are sports fans, they are seeking sun protection, they are hiding bad hair or
bald heads.
When asked what they could tell about women in hijab, participants said:
• They are religious and/or Muslim. (8/10 participants)
• Three participants raised concerns that some Muslim women may have been
“bullied” into wearing hijab, and that this particular group may not be as “thoughtful”
because of their particular beliefs. One participant called hijab an “outdated
misogynistic cultural practice.”
After the social media campaign:
• Seven participants said it had successfully challenged negative assumptions about
Muslim women who wear hijab
• Five participants said the campaign influenced their thinking, broadening their
perceptions, and helping them identify some of their own assumptions.
• Participants said they were most influenced by the profiles of successful women
who wear hijab
ConclusionsThough the sample size was small, it is encouraging that half of the participants
experienced a positive change in their perceptions of Muslim women who wear hijab.
Participants said they were most influenced by the profiles of successful women
who wear hijab, which seems to indicate that positive stories might have more
impact than negative ones. Indeed, posts about a controversial anti-Islamophobia
campaign that was launched during this study’s social media campaign performed
poorly in terms of views, likes and shares. Community activists advocating for
social change on social platforms may do well to take a celebratory approach, and
to share the stories that members of their affected communities want to tell.
My research explores how social media can effectively be used by community activists to challenge negative assumptions about Muslim women who wear hijab. A social media campaign was created in partnership with the Canadian Council of Muslim Women (Toronto chapter) and run over a two-week period. Ten participants followed the social media campaign, and answered a survey before and after the campaign. Most participants (7/10) said the campaign successfully challenged negative stereotypes about women who wear hijab, and half reported the campaign positively influenced their ideas, broadening their perceptions, and identifying their assumptions about this issue.
Social Media for Social Change?Developing Social Media Strategies to Influence Negative Cultural Assumptions
Why Social Media? Social media is a powerful and ubiquitous tool in our digitally connected world. There
are literally billions of people on social platforms, 1.65 billion monthly active users on
Facebook alone, the majority on mobile devices (“Top 15,” 2016). Most people use
social networks to share news and events from their lives, which may be anything from
vacation photos to cute cat videos. With millions of people connected on various social
platforms, however, it makes sense to explore how these digital communities can be
mobilized by activists to participate in social change campaigns that can lead to social
good. Some successful campaigns come to mind immediately, like the ALS Ice Bucket
Challenge. It has generated more than 17-million videos of people dumping buckets of
ice water on their heads, and has raised $115 million for ALS research (Rogers, 2016). The
extra funds may have hastened a breakthrough - the discovery of a new gene tied to ALS.
But what happens when the cause is not something as defined and uncontroversial as
ALS research?What if the social cause is more complex, uncomfortable and potentially
divisive? How do we talk about systemic social issues like racism in Canada, and how
do we know if social media outreach is making or can make a difference? What is the
best way to measure social media’s impact on negative cultural assumptions, and how
do we sustain any progress made? For those who do the work of advocating for social
change, what are the best practices and the limitations of a social media campaign?
Why Women Who Wear Hijab?
Women who wear hijab are visibly Muslim and, therefore, easily targeted. Since former
PM Stephen Harper attempted to ban the niqab (full face veil) from Canadian citizenship
ceremonies in 2015, there have been numerous reports of violent attacks on Muslim
women who wear hijab. In Ontario, a Toronto woman was viciously beaten and called
a terrorist while picking up her children from school. A London mom was spit on,
punched several times, and had her hijab pulled while grocery shopping with her baby
(Da Silva, 2016). I interviewed six Toronto-based women who wear, or have worn,
hijab, to hear about their experiences. All had stories to tell about negative events,
from persistent assumptions that they do not speak English, are oppressed, and/or are
uneducated, to more troubling accusations that a woman who wears hijab must hold
the kind of extremist religious views championed by terrorists. This project developed
a social media campaign that raised public awareness about some of these negative
and dominant cultural assumptions, and challenged those stereotypical notions with
real stories about real women who wear hijab. The goal: to determine if different
perspectives shared by the community affected could influence participant attitudes
and assumptions towards this cultural group.
Research MethodologyBecause this study involved humans, it was reviewed and approved by Ryerson’s
Research Ethics Board. Research participants were recruited in-person and online.
Participation Criteria:• 18+
• Access to a computer and the Internet.
Participants were asked to follow a two-week social media campaign, and answer
a pre and post campaign survey. The first survey asked participants what they
thought they could tell about a person from a head covering, and then specifically
what they could tell about a person in a baseball cap (non-religious headgear) and
a person in a hijab (head scarf worn by Muslim women). The second survey asked
participants if the social media campaign had any effect on their thinking, and if
yes, in what way. Participants were also asked to state the most effective campaign
content (as well as the least), and if they thought the campaign had successfully
challenged negative assumptions about Muslim women who wear hijab.
Community PartnershipThe social media campaign was created with CCMW
Toronto and posted on its social media channels
(Facebook and Twitter). The advice and insights shared
by executive members of this organization ensured the
campaign represented the diverse perspectives and
lived experiences of Muslim women who wear hijab.
Social Media CampaignAfter researching the experiences of Muslim women in Canada, and interviewing
six women who wear, or have worn, hijab, we identified the common negative
assumptions, which led to the development of four content themes for the social
media campaign.
Four content themes for the social media campaign: • Profiles of successful women in hijab to show their positive
contributions to society
• Stories that challenge dominant and persistent assumptions about
women in hijab e.g. they are oppressed, uneducated, do not participate
in sports, politics, the arts
• Humour to explore uncomfortable topics e.g. a satirical ad for gum
that cures Islamophobia
• Topical issues, e.g. Ramadan, OCASI/City of Toronto anti-Islamophobia
campaign
Here are examples of two profiles we shared: • Ted Talk of Dalia Mogahed, author, researcher and advisor to US
President Obama
• Article on Stephanie Kurlow, an Australian teen who aims to be the
world’s first ballerina in hijab
Research FindingsTen participants completed both surveys.
In the first survey, when asked what they could tell about people wearing baseball
caps, participants said one or more of these three things:
When asked what they could tell about people wearing baseball caps, participants said:
• They are sports fans, they are seeking sun protection, they are hiding
bad hair or bald heads.
When asked what they could tell about women in hijab, participants said:
• They are religious and/or Muslim. (8/10 participants)
• Three participants raised concerns that some Muslim women may
have been “bullied” into wearing hijab, and that this particular group
may not be as “thoughtful” because of their particular beliefs. One
participant called hijab an “outdated misogynistic cultural practice.”
After the social media campaign:• Seven participants said it had successfully challenged negative
assumptions about Muslim women who wear hijab
• Five participants said the campaign influenced their thinking,
broadening their perceptions, and helping them identify some of their
own assumptions.
• Participants said they were most influenced by the profiles of
successful women who wear hijab
ConclusionsThough the sample size is small, it is encouraging that half of the participants
experienced a positive change in their perceptions of Muslim women who wear hijab.
Participants said they were most influenced by the profiles of successful women
who wear hijab, which seems to indicate that positive stories might have more
impact than negative ones. Indeed, posts about a controversial anti-Islamophobia
campaign that was launched during this study’s social media campaign performed
poorly in terms of views, likes and shares. Community activists advocating for
social change on social platforms may do well to take a celebratory approach, and
to share the stories that members of their affected communities want to tell.
My research explores how social media can effectively be used by community activists to challenge negative assumptions about Muslim women who wear hijab. A social media campaign was created in partnership with the Canadian Council of Muslim Women (Toronto chapter) and run over a two-week period. Ten participants followed the social media campaign, and answered a survey before and after the campaign. Most participants (7/10) said the campaign successfully challenged negative stereotypes about women who wear hijab, and half reported the campaign positively influenced their ideas, broadening their perceptions, and identifying their assumptions about this issue.
