Transnational In-Group Solidarity Networks in the Case of #Hellobrother

Abstract

This paper examines the dynamics of one hashtag, #hellobrother, shared on Twitter following the Christchurch terror attack on 15th March 2019. It was analysed as part of a larger study #Contesting Islamophobia: Representation and Appropriation in Mediated Activism which explores the potentials and limitations of counternarratives against Islamophobia on Twitter. Using three ‘trigger events’ (Awan, 2014), Brexit, the Christchurch terror attack, and the Covid pandemic as its starting point, the study analysed six weeks of tweets at different points in time. The data on #hellobrother demonstrates an affective response which, through the affordances of Twitter, gave rise to strong networks of transnational solidarity. It illustrates both the limitations of its potentially transient solidarities but also the capacity of social media to offer visibility to counternarratives, which at specific moments, following specific events can become normative.

Keywords

• Islamophobia
• Twitter
• Hellobrother
• Christchurch Terror Attack
• Affect

#Hellobrother Örneğinde Ulusötesi İç Grup Dayanışma Ağları

Öz

Bu çalışma, 15 Mart 2019'da meydana gelen Christchurch terör saldırısının ardından Twitter'da paylaşılan #hellobrother etiketi etrafındaki dinamikleri incelemektedir. Çalışma, İslamofobiye karşı karşıt anlatıları araştıran ve Twitter'daki potansiyelleri ile sınırlılıklarını keşfetmeyi hedefleyen daha geniş kapsamlı #Contesting Islamophobia: Representation and Appropriation in Mediated Activism adlı çalışmanın bir parçası olarak ele alınmıştır. Çalışmada Awan (2014) tarafından tanımlanan üç 'tetikleyici olayı' -Brexit, Christchurch terör saldırısı ve Covid pandemisi- başlangıç noktası olarak ele almış, farklı zaman dilimlerinde altı haftalık tweet verisini analiz etmiştir. #hellobrother etiketiyle ilgili veriler, duygusal bir tepkiyi göstererek Twitter'ın imkanları aracılığıyla güçlü uluslararası dayanışma ağlarının oluşumuna zemin hazırlamıştır. Bu durum, potansiyel olarak geçici dayanışma biçimlerinin içsel sınırlarını sadece belirtmekle kalmaz, aynı zamanda sosyal medyanın, belirli anlarda belirli olaylara yönelik olarak karşı anlatılara görünürlük sağlama yeteneğini vurgular. Bu anlar, belirli olaylara ilişkin takip eden özel zaman dilimlerinde normatif özellikler kazanabilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• İslamofobi
• Twitter
• Hellobrother
• Christchurch Terör Saldırısı
• Etki

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