Social Activism Through Social Media: the Case of Child Soldiering in the Global Context

University of Windsor Scholarship at UWindsor Electronic Theses and Dissertations Theses, Dissertations, and Major Papers 2013 SOCIAL ACTIVISM THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA: THE CASE OF CHILD SOLDIERING IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT Mary Girges University of Windsor Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd Recommended Citation Girges, Mary, "SOCIAL ACTIVISM THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA: THE CASE OF CHILD SOLDIERING IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT" (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4976. https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/4976 This online database contains the full-text of PhD dissertations and Masters’ theses of University of Windsor students from 1954 forward. These documents are made available for personal study and research purposes only, in accordance with the Canadian Copyright Act and the Creative Commons license—CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivative Works). 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SOCIAL ACTIVISM THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA: THE CASE OF CHILD SOLDIERING IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT By Mary Girges A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies through Sociology, Criminology and Anthropology in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts at the University of Windsor Windsor, Ontario, Canada 2013 © 2013 Mary Girges SOCIAL ACTIVISM THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA: THE CASE OF CHILD SOLDIERING IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT by Mary Girges APPROVED BY: ______________________________________________ G Cradock Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology ______________________________________________ J Essex Department of Political Science ______________________________________________ D Soulliere. Advisor Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology (September 12, 2013) DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY I hereby certify that I am the sole author of this thesis and that no part of this thesis has been published or submitted for publication. I certify that, to the best of my knowledge, my thesis does not infringe upon anyone’s copyright nor violate any proprietary rights and that any ideas, techniques, quotations, or any other material from the work of other people included in my thesis, published or otherwise, are fully acknowledged in accordance with the standard referencing practices. Furthermore, to the extent that I have included copyrighted material that surpasses the bounds of fair dealing within the meaning of the Canada Copyright Act, I certify that I have obtained a written permission from the copyright owner(s) to include such material(s) in my thesis and have included copies of such copyright clearances to my appendix. I declare that this is a true copy of my thesis, including any final revisions, as approved by my thesis committee and the Graduate Studies office, and that this thesis has not been submitted for a higher degree to any other University or Institution. iii ABSTRACT The increased popularity of social networking among youth today has given rise to the potential for social activism through social media. Using the Social Constructionist perspective, this thesis examines how three popular Facebook pages construct the ‘problem’ of child soldiering. In particular, these Facebook pages made use of text, images, and links that invited members to cast negative judgment on the issue of child soldiering, which was further enhanced by connecting this problem to other issues plaguing children, such as poverty and lack of education. Moreover, techniques used to raise awareness and promote activism were primarily accomplished by providing images of volunteers accompanied by messages encouraging others to “get involved” or “make a difference.” This study contributes to the scholarly understanding of the role of social media in raising awareness of global issues and to the larger impact of the Internet in encouraging and facilitating advocacy. iv DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated in loving memory of the first person to introduce the extraordinary enterprise known as a higher education, my father: YOUSSEF GIRGES 1959-2008 v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The process of developing and writing this thesis was long, and it would not have been possible if not for the support and efforts of many individuals along the way. My family’s love and support is immeasurable and indescribable but is the greatest truth I will ever know. First and foremost, my husband Mena – I could have not completed this Master’s degree without your love, patience, and expert advice. Thank you for lending me your ears and allowing me to ramble away for hours in which I am sure you were not actually following what I was talking about. It is because of that support I was able to develop the courage to continue. I owe my deepest gratitude to my mother, Magda for her strength and love throughout the years; it is because of her that I am able to overcome any struggles that I encounter. I would also like to thank my brother, Mina, and my sister, Stephanie, for their love and cheerful spirits throughout this whole process. My appreciation to my committee is endless for helping me to persevere and see this journey through to the end. They have provided guidance, perspective, and inspiration throughout my graduate journey. I am thankful to Dr. Gerald Cradock for always providing me with valuable advice and thought provoking feedback, as well as always understanding what I meant to write when it came to child welfare. My gratitude also extends to Dr. Jamey Essex, my external examiner, for providing me with insightful comments into the global issue of child soldiering. A special recognition goes out to Dr. Danielle Soulliere, my advisor, who first introduced the idea of completing a Masters Degree in Sociology. It was with her encouragement, advice, and direction that I was able to complete my thesis, which is now before you. I will never forget all those long conversations that allowed me to be persistent, as well as her always having a sense of humor when I had lost mine. I will always carry the world of fandom wherever I go. I wish to thank my friends and fellow graduate students for providing me with advice and friendship. Their support and perspective helped me to never lose sight of the big picture. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY............................................................................................ III ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................... IV DEDICATION……….................................................................................................................... V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................................ VI LIST OF TABLES ……............................................................................................................... VIII LIST OF APPENDICES............................................................................................................... IX 1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................... 1 2. LITERATURE REVIEW.......................................................................................................... 3 The Problem of Child Soldiers/ Child Soldiering.................................................................... 3 Concern with the Rights and Well-Being of Children.............................................................. 7 Social Media and Social Activism……………….................................................................. 13 3. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK........................................................................................... 19 4. METHODOLOGY……………………………….................................................................. 23 5. RESULTS................................................................................................................................ 31 6. DISCUSSION.......................................................................................................................... 52 7. CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................ 69 REFERENCES.............................................................................................................................. 72 APPENDICES............................................................................................................................... 77 VITA AUCTORIS......................................................................................................................... 79 vii LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1 FACEBOOK POSTS BY GROUP.......................................................................... 32 viii LIST OF APPENDICES TABLE A – EXAMPLE OF CHARTING FOR THE ROMÉO DALLAIRE CHILD SOLDIER INITIATIVE FACEBOOK PAGE................................................................................................ 77 TABLE B – EXAMPLE OF CHARTING FOR PROJECT: AK-47 FACEBOOK PAGE.......... 78 TABLE C – EXAMPLE OF CHARTING 2013 TIMELINE FOR THE ROMÉO DALLAIRE

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