{"id":15613,"date":"2022-02-28T21:58:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-28T20:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cienciagandia.webs.upv.es\/?p=15613"},"modified":"2022-02-28T22:02:27","modified_gmt":"2022-02-28T21:02:27","slug":"instagram-and-environmental-activism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cienciagandia.webs.upv.es\/en\/2022\/02\/instagram-and-environmental-activism\/","title":{"rendered":"Instagram and Environmental Activism"},"content":{"rendered":"

A study carried out by researchers from Campus Gandia of the Universitat Polit\u00e8cnica de Val\u00e8ncia (UPV)<\/a> and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC)<\/a> is analyzing the use of recurring images<\/strong>, such as comparison memes, to promote environmental activism<\/strong> on the social media platform Instagram<\/strong>. This study aims to interpret these images through the framework of myths or narratives<\/strong>, which offer models through which to perceive, understand, judge and act in the world.<\/p>\n

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INDIVIDUAL CALL TO ACTION<\/p>\n

The authors of the study are Sandra Martorel<\/a>, an expert in Visual Culture from Campus Gandia (UPV), Gemma San Cornelio Esquerdo, a researcher with the MEDIACCIONS group of the UOC’s Information and Communication Sciences Department, and Elisenda Ard\u00e8vol, professor of Arts and Humanities Studies at the UOC.<\/p>\n

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From left to right: Elisenda Ard\u00e8vol, Sandra Martorell and Gemma San Cornelio.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Their research has determined that most of the memes analyzed make an implicit call to individual action as part of a collective action, with the aim of achieving a common good.<\/p>\n

\u201cSocial media platforms are creating a different form of activism<\/strong>, where people aren’t interested in getting so involved in the more traditional social movements. The new models of social media activism appeal to action and individual responsibility to undergo a profound transformation<\/strong>,\u201d emphasizes San Cornelio.<\/p>\n

NOT QUESTIONING THE SOCIAL ORDER<\/p>\n

The authors explain that institutions or corporations that cause environmental harm are not usually called out, nor is the established social order explicitly questioned. In fact, environmental memes are usually directed at individuals<\/strong> and their messages focus on addressing environmental disasters as the sum of individual actions.<\/p>\n

This way they can create a much more dramatic image that contains an implicit resolution. \u201cThe use of a mythological narrative<\/strong> model for environmental change seen in social media memes, on the one hand, contribute to the creation of new spaces for citizen participation<\/strong>, and on the other hand, they make complex issues intelligible with concise visual impact<\/strong>, promoting and making calls to action through emotions and personal investment,\u201d according to the researchers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe use of this type of comparative images is a repetitive format<\/strong> that fulfills the function of easy recognition, which is why they are very effective, since, despite appearing informal and even humorous, they address issues considered to be serious and high on the environmental agenda,\u201d they conclude.<\/p>\n