Date of Award

2020

Document Type

Latin America

Abstract

As the current 2019/2020 social uprisings continue to sweep over Chile in resistance to neoliberal structural inequality and remanence of Augusto Pinochet’s 1973-1990 dictatorship, little research explores social media’s relationship with the movement. However, as the largest social movement since the dictatorship-era, 21st century digital media advancements and youth internet culture have significantly affected Chilean activism. The following paper will use historical analysis, social movement theory, and analysis of Twitter and Instagram posts to explore how social media is being used for social action in present day Chile. Results conclude that social media is a transformative catalyst in triggering spread of information and encouraging activity through a relatable, non-institutional platform. This study supports other research emphasizing social media as the new source of activism.

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