Beyond the iconic protest images: the performance of ‘everyday life’ on social media during Gezi Park

Aidan McGarry, Olu Jenzen, Hande Eslen-Ziya, Itir Erhart, Umut Korkut

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Using the Gezi Park protests as a case study this article considers the performative component of protest movements including how and why protestors actively produce protest activity ‘on the ground’ and how this is expressed through visual images. It looks beyond iconic images which appear as emblematic of the protest and instead shifts our focus to consider the more ‘everyday’ or mundane activities which occur during a protest occupation, and explores how social media allows these images to have expressive and communicative dimensions. In this respect, protests can be performed through humdrum activities and this signifies a political voice which is communicated visually. The research is based on visual analysis of Twitter data and reveals methodological innovation in understanding how protestors communicate.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)284-304
Number of pages21
JournalSocial Movement Studies
Volume18
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 9 Jan 2019

Bibliographical note

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Social Movement Studies on 9/1/2019, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/14742837.2018.1561259

Keywords

  • Visual images
  • everyday life
  • protest
  • Gezi Park
  • Social media
  • performance

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