Ferguson and the death of Michael Brown on Twitter: #BlackLivesMatter, #TCOT, and the evolution of collective identities. Issue 11 (2nd September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ray, Rashawn; Brown, Melissa; Fraistat, Neil; Summers, Edward
• Is Part Of: Ethnic and racial studies. Volume 40:Issue 11(2017)
• Page Start: 1797
• Page End: 1813
• Publication Date: 2017-09-02
• Subjects: Race -- social movements -- social media -- #BlackLivesMatter; Race -- Periodicals; Race relations -- Periodicals; Ethnic groups -- Periodicals; 305.805
• DOI: 10.1080/01419870.2017.1335422
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0141-9870

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Recent events related to police brutality and the evolution of #BlackLivesMatter provides an empirical case to explore the vitality of social media data for social movements and the evolution of collective identities. Social media data provide a portal into how organizing and communicating generate narratives that survive over time. We analyse 31.65 million tweets about Ferguson across four meaningful time periods: the death of Michael Brown, the non-indictment of police officer Darren Wilson, the Department of Justice report on Ferguson, and the one year aftermath of Brown's death. Our analysis shows that #BlackLivesMatter evolved in concert with protests opposing police brutality occurring on the ground. We also show how #TCOT (Top Conservatives on Twitter) has operated as the primary counter narrative to #BlackLivesMatter. We conclude by discussing the implications our research has for the #BlackLivesMatter movement and increased political polarization following the election of Donald Trump.