Communication Design Quarterly Sep 2024 Open Access

Redrawing the Maps: Digital Literacy Practices of Grassroots Activists

Amber Buck University of Alabama

Abstract

This research used a participant observer method to describe and analyze the digital literacy practices of one grassroots community group that organized around the issue of municipal city council redistricting. The group proposed and advocated for city council district lines that reflected the minority-majority makeup of the city's population. The group effectively crafted different genres, including informational Google Docs, maps, form letters, petitions, social media graphics, press releases, and public speeches to advocate for their position. This research argues for the study of activists' digital literacy practices and the role of digital technology in activist efforts.

Journal
Communication Design Quarterly
Published
2024-09-01
DOI
10.1145/3563890.3713046
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Topics
genre theory digital rhetoric social media literacy studies community literacy
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