research-article

Hollaback!:the role of storytelling online in a social movement organization

Authors:

MichaelanneDye,

Amy S.BruckmanAuthors Info & Claims

CSCW '13: Proceedings of the 2013 conference on Computer supported cooperative work

Pages477-490

https://doi.org/10.1145/2441776.2441831

Published:23 February 2013Publication History

Abstract

CSCW systems are playing an increasing role in activism. How can new communications technologies support social movements? The possibilities are intriguing, but as yet not fully understood. One key technique traditionally leveraged by social movements is storytelling. In this paper, we examine the use of collective storytelling online in the context of a social movement organization called Hollaback, an organization working to stop street harassment. Can sharing a story of experienced harassment really make a difference to an individual or a community? Using Emancipatory Action Research and qualitative methods, we interviewed people who contributed stories of harassment online. We found that sharing stories shifted participants' cognitive and emotional orientation towards their experience. The theory of "framing" from social movement research explains the surprising power of this experience for Hollaback participants. We contribute a way of looking at activism online using social movement theory. Our work illustrates that technology can help crowd-sourced framing processes that have traditionally been done by social movement organizations.

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Cited By

Dekker M(2024)Apprehension of reproducing racialized stigmas in storytelling on street harassment in France: ‘I feel I’d just be adding to the stereotype’The Sociological Review10.1177/00380261241261475Online publication date: 1-Aug-2024
https://doi.org/10.1177/00380261241261475
Thuppilikkat ADhar DChandra P(2024)Union Makes Us Strong: Space, Technology, and On-Demand Ridesourcing Digital Labour PlatformsProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/36870028:CSCW2(1-36)Online publication date: 7-Nov-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3687002
Foriest JMittal SBray KTran ADe Choudhury M(2024)A Cross Community Comparison of Muting in Conversations of Gendered Violence on RedditProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/36869408:CSCW2(1-29)Online publication date: 7-Nov-2024
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Index Terms

Hollaback!: the role of storytelling online in a social movement organization
1. Human-centered computing

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cover image ACM Conferences

CSCW '13: Proceedings of the 2013 conference on Computer supported cooperative work

February 2013

1594 pages

ISBN:9781450313315

DOI:10.1145/2441776

General Chairs:
Amy Bruckman
Georgia Institute of Technology, USA
,
Scott Counts
Microsoft Research, USA
,
Program Chairs:
Cliff Lampe
University of Michigan, USA
,
Loren Terveen
University of Minnesota, USA

Copyright © 2013 ACM.

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Published:23 February 2013

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https://doi.org/10.1177/00380261241261475
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https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3687002
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