Introduction: The transnational circulation of digital nationalism

Abstract

This themed section aims to examine the offline implications of a thriving online nationalist culture fostered by various social media platforms. Several studies have concluded that social media have enhanced nationalism, but there is still a significant lacuna in understanding the deep social, political, and cultural transformations produced by online platforms. How is nationalism different in the digital age? How do nationalists harness the transnational character of social media to disseminate and channel their message simultaneously to various cultural groups? How is the message composed and translated to appeal to various groups, and how does nationalist content cross language and cultural boundaries? The papers that make up this themed section explore the transnational aspects of digital cultures and provide new insights into the methodological difficulties of understanding the offline impact of the contents of social media.