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A Rhetorical Grounding of Contemporary Social Media

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A Rhetorical Grounding of Contemporary Social Media #DigitalDissentRhetoric: A Rhetorical Grounding of Contemporary Social Media Activism A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Scripps College of Communication of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Justin Gus Foote May 2019 © 2019 Justin Gus Foote. All Rights Reserved. This dissertation titled #DigitalDissentRhetoric: A Rhetorical Grounding of Contemporary Social Media Activism by JUSTIN GUS FOOTE has been approved for the School of Communication Studies and the Scripps College of Communication by Michael L. Butterworth Professor of Communication Studies Scott Titsworth Dean, Scripps College of Communication ii Abstract FOOTE, JUSTIN G., Ph.D, May 2019, Communication Studies #DigitalDissentRhetoric: A Rhetorical Grounding of Contemporary Social Media Activism Director of Dissertation: Michael L. Butterworth The increasing use of social media as a venue for political discussion creates an opportunity for rhetorical scholars to (re)evaluate the rhetorical nature of such discourse. Understood colloquially as “social media activism,” or “digital activism,” one unique tool utilized to convey political messages has been the implantation of “hashtag campaigns.” Specific to this project is the usage of hashtag campaigns to convey messages of dissent. Termed digital dissent, this project examines the implications of hashtags illustrating racial inequality. This project explores a rhetorical grounding of contemporary digital activism and argues the proliferation of digital dissent influences a reconceptualization of democracy. Embracing dissent as fundamental democratic discourse, this project also argues that social media can serve as a venue for robust democratic political action. This work evaluates social media as a mechanism for enacting a rhetorical robust democratic public in an effort to identify and initiate social change. iii Dedication To those who strive to make the world a better place. iv Acknowledgments There is no way I would have completed this project without the guidance and encouragement of many. Thank you: To Dr. Michael Butterworth, without your guidance I can firmly say I would have never finished. You told me early to “trust the process.” Easier said than done. I always maintained that after talking to you I was motivated to continue. I will continue your strong influence in seeing others do meaningful work and continue to advocate for positive social change. To my committee, each of which helped influence the evolution of this project. Dr. Aden, your Rhetorical Criticism class demonstrated the richness of rhetorical scholarship and the knowledge we can offer others. Dr. McKerrow, thank you for introducing me to the work of Jacques Rancière—it profoundly changed my life and annoyed many who have had to listen to me talk about his work. Your guidance and positivity always pushed me further. Dr. Grant, your Radical Political Theory class taught me people have the get a little crazy if they want to change the world. Your class taught me to be steadfast in doing what is right in whatever means I can undertake to influence change. Dr. J.W. Smith, your Black Rhetoric class fundamentally influenced my realization of just how prevalent the issue of racial equality is in contemporary society. Simply put, without your class I do not write this dissertation. Thank you, all. To my friends, Stevie, Justin, Andrea, and Jen have all provided moments of levity and advice whenever needed. We all started together and you all remain close friends. Steve, Kristen, Sean, and Sidi—your friendship is invaluable and I always look v forward to the times we can continue our chats. A special thanks goes out to Lanie, who always responded to my crazy texts with motivation. You are a great friend and will forever maintain that you are one of the best scholars I have ever met. To Peter Raposo, your impact on my life is exceptional. You are always in my memories and I was reminded of your words as I say and agonized over single words. One thing at a time, one day at a time, it all gets done. To Todd Holm, who held me accountable even if he could only do so from across the country. Without you I probably finish my academic career at Miami University and who knows where I would be now. Thank you to Dan West, you furthered my love of speech and debate and, along with Todd, taught me how to lead my own team. To my sister and her family, thank you for the laughs and fun times that while keeping me from writing also kept me sane. To my Aunt Lisa, your unending positive belief in me truly means more than I can ever convey. To my mom and dad, your support of my education has been beyond belief. There has been no greater impact on my life than the lessons you have instilled in me. My love for you is only surpassed by my student loan debt—thank you for making me the person I am today. To Rachel Michelle Foote, you have literally been there for every word, for every frustration, and for every success. I love you and the support you have given me demonstrates just how far we will go to make sure each other reaches their dreams. You are perfect and I can only hope to equal you care and compassion. vi Table of Contents Page Abstract .............................................................................................................................. iii Dedication .......................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................... v Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Rhetoric and Social Media Activism: An Under-Explored Connection ..................... 13 Social Media as a Digital Public Sphere ..................................................................... 17 The Vernacular Nature of Social Media Activism ............................................... 23 Transition to a Digital Public Sphere .................................................................... 28 Chapter I: Digital Dissent: The Need to Radically (Re)Frame Democracy ..................... 36 Democracy in a Digital Public Sphere ........................................................................ 37 The Crisis of Consensus and (Re)Thinking the Political ............................................ 47 The Obligation of Dissent ........................................................................................... 55 The Turn to Agonistic Pluralism ................................................................................. 58 Rhetorical Conception of Race and Social (In)equality ............................................. 62 Chapter II: From Civil Rights Movement to #BlackLivesMatter: Evolving Leadership . 70 History and Utilization of #BlackLivesMatter ........................................................... 74 History of #BlackLivesMatter .............................................................................. 75 Utilization of #BlackLivesMatter ......................................................................... 78 From Civil Rights to #BlackLivesMatter: The Implications of Public Memory ........ 85 Historical Remembrance of the Civil Rights Movement ...................................... 86 Rhetoric and Public Memory: The Implication of Societal Remembrance .......... 89 Memory of Civil Rights as Unnecessary Critique ................................................ 94 The Evolving Role of Leadership in the Progress to Racial Equality ........................ 98 Memory of the Civil Rights Movement Leadership and Its Discontents ........... 100 The Role of Leadership in #BlackLivesMatter ................................................... 105 Changing Advocacy: From Civil Rights to #BlackLivesMatter ......................... 111 #BlackLivesMatter: Engaging Dissensus and the Shift to Agonism ........................ 115 Rancière and the Crisis of Leadership ................................................................ 116 Agonistic Pluralism and Problems of Leadership ............................................... 118 Leaving Leadership: Digital Dissent as Contemporary Political Advocacy ...... 122 vii Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 127 Chapter III: Digital Dissent and Doxa ............................................................................ 131 Doxa and Rhetoric, Rhetoric and Doxa: A Contentious Relationship ...................... 132 Rhetoric’s Resuscitation of Doxa ....................................................................... 133 Understanding the Subjective/Objective Tension of Doxa ................................. 137 Democratic Doxai and its Demonstration ........................................................... 139 The Move to a Discourse of Citizenship ............................................................. 142 Social Media as Venue for Demonstration and Critique .......................................... 147 #HandsUpDontShoot, #ICantBreathe: Digital Dissent as Demonstration and Critique ................................................................................................................................... 151 History of #HandsUpDontShoot ......................................................................... 152 History of #ICantBreathe ...................................................................................
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