ENGL 2144: Social Media for Social Justice and Activism

With the rise of digital activism being used to spur social change, students will analyze the success of movements such as #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, #LoveWins and many more on myriad social media platforms. Students will analyze strategies and audiences involved in digital activism and propose potential calls-to-action for issues of social justice that are important to them.  

Leading up to the final proposal, students will complete readings and writing assignments focused on answering the question “can social media further social justice, and if so, how?” Discussions will center on community involvement; lived experiences; equity and inclusion; and strategies for success, including crowdsourcing, fundraising, and petitions. Additionally, students will learn the nuances of different social media platforms and learn to adapt their writing/posting style to each platform’s unique audience. This is a service-learning course, so students will have the opportunity to either choose or be paired with a client considering and questioning best practices for enacting social justice on social media.