Abstract
The proliferation of social media platforms has fundamentally altered the dynamics of collective action and protest movements. This article examines how digital communication tools facilitate the formation and maintenance of collective identities among urban protesters in European cities. Through a comparative analysis of protest movements in Madrid, Athens, and Bucharest, we investigate the mechanisms through which social media enables rapid mobilisation, identity negotiation, and narrative construction.
Key Findings
Our analysis reveals that social media serves as both a mobilisation tool and a space for collective identity work. Protesters use platforms to construct shared narratives, negotiate group boundaries, and develop symbolic repertoires that bridge diverse constituencies. However, the study also identifies limitations, including the tendency toward echo chambers and the fragility of digitally mediated solidarity.
Methodology
The research combines digital ethnography of protest-related social media activity with in-depth interviews with 35 activists across three cities. Content analysis of over 12,000 social media posts was complemented by participant observation at protest events.
Implications
These findings contribute to our understanding of how digital technologies reshape contentious politics in contemporary Europe, highlighting both the democratising potential and structural constraints of social media-mediated activism.
