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How young Black African Australians use social media to challenge anti-Black narratives and reclaim racial dignity
Magazine article   Open access

How young Black African Australians use social media to challenge anti-Black narratives and reclaim racial dignity

Kathomi Gatwiri and Claire Moran
The Conversation
24/06/2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64628/AA.4kmyqj43t
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How young Black African Australians use social media to challenge anti-Black narratives and reclaim racial dignityView
Published (Version of record) Open CC BY-ND V4.0

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Abstract

For Black African young people in Australia, social media can be especially fraught – a place they witness footage of anti-Black violence, contend with an “othering” gaze and encounter racist trolling, posts or comments. Despite these challenges, social media can offer Black African young people in Australia safe spaces to engage in positive expressions of afro-Blackness, as our new study shows. Our study, published today in the Australian Journal of Social Issues, was an ethnographic study of the social media activity of 15 young people (16–25) who self-identify as African and live in Australia. Participants consented to being followed and/or “friended” on social media so as to observe their online practises over a six month period. They were also interviewed about their experiences on social media. Our study reveals how these young people are using social media to challenge anti-Black narratives and reclaim some of their racial dignity.

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