Using Immaterial Labor to Fight for Justice: Rhetoric of Grassroots Citizens to Communicate Risks in the Flint Water Crisis

Yeqing Kong Georgia Institute of Technology

Abstract

This study examines the rhetorical endeavors of a grassroots citizen and a youth activist in addressing official ignorance and denial surrounding the Flint water crisis. These civic participants engaged in extensive communicative, interactive, and affective labor to assess and communicate risks, raising public awareness and pushing for policy change. This article theorizes an extended materialist social justice framework by illustrating the complex interactions between immaterial labor and different types of social justice.

Journal
Technical Communication Quarterly
Published
2025-10-22
DOI
10.1080/10572252.2025.2571214
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