#SouthAsians4BlackLives: racial positionality in digital allyship and the prospects for cross-racial solidarity for racial justice in the USA
#SouthAsians4BlackLives: racial positionality in digital allyship and the prospects for cross-racial solidarity for racial justice in the USA
The presence of multiple racial groups was a key feature of Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests in 2020. This study investigates racial positionalities embedded in expressions of digital allyship with BLM on Instagram by South Asians in the USA, and the prospects for cross-racial solidarity for racial justice. Our computational network analysis of Instagram posts using variations of the hashtag #sa4bl over a six-month period reveals that South Asian activists, influencers and everyday users expressed allyship, however they formed distinct Instagram communities signalling multiple constructions of allyship. Qualitative analysis indicates two distinct repertoires of allyship; one focussed on consciousness-raising within South Asian communities, the other on direct expression of allyship with BLM. These repertoires point to the presence of both ethnic and racial positionalities in South Asian digital allyship, reflecting divergent interests based on intersecting identities. Our findings complicate recent evaluations of cross-racial allyship for racial justice amongst South Asian Americans.
Black Lives Matter, allyship, South Asian Americans, racial positionality, intersectionality, social media
Shah, Bindi V.
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Carr, Leslie
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Shah, Bindi V.
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Carr, Leslie
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Shah, Bindi V. and Carr, Leslie
(2024)
#SouthAsians4BlackLives: racial positionality in digital allyship and the prospects for cross-racial solidarity for racial justice in the USA.
Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power.
(In Press)
Abstract
The presence of multiple racial groups was a key feature of Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests in 2020. This study investigates racial positionalities embedded in expressions of digital allyship with BLM on Instagram by South Asians in the USA, and the prospects for cross-racial solidarity for racial justice. Our computational network analysis of Instagram posts using variations of the hashtag #sa4bl over a six-month period reveals that South Asian activists, influencers and everyday users expressed allyship, however they formed distinct Instagram communities signalling multiple constructions of allyship. Qualitative analysis indicates two distinct repertoires of allyship; one focussed on consciousness-raising within South Asian communities, the other on direct expression of allyship with BLM. These repertoires point to the presence of both ethnic and racial positionalities in South Asian digital allyship, reflecting divergent interests based on intersecting identities. Our findings complicate recent evaluations of cross-racial allyship for racial justice amongst South Asian Americans.
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#SouthAsians4BlackLives -Accepted version with Author Details
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Accepted/In Press date: 2 July 2024
Keywords:
Black Lives Matter, allyship, South Asian Americans, racial positionality, intersectionality, social media
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 492149
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/492149
ISSN: 1070-289X
PURE UUID: 7178c017-6147-4d75-9a7a-4ba896d61b18
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Date deposited: 18 Jul 2024 16:33
Last modified: 19 Jul 2024 01:43
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