#Activism: Understanding how student leaders utilize social media for social or political change

Abstract

Social media has changed how students create social and political change beyond traditional forms of activism. However, little is known about how student leaders navigate online environments for purposes of activism and the connections between online and in-person activism. Through a mixed methods approach that drew upon surveys and interviews, this study examines the perceptions and behaviors of undergraduate student leaders in using social media as a tool to create social or political change at Research University (RU), a large public research institution in the Northeast. Findings suggest that students used social media to promote awareness of key causes and to develop their voice. Moreover, they perceived social media as a tool to serve diverse needs and to gauge social opinion. However, the need to avoid complacency by connecting online efforts to in-person actions was particularly salient in the qualitative interviews. Recommendations for using this research to guide institutional assessment and practice are included.