Disability activism in the new media ecology: campaigning strategies in the digital era

Pearson, C. and Trevisan, F. (2015) Disability activism in the new media ecology: campaigning strategies in the digital era. Disability and Society, 30(6), pp. 924-940. (doi: 10.1080/09687599.2015.1051516)

Abstract

This article examines the changing nature of disability activism through the influence of social media. As disabled people in the UK have been subjected to acute austerity, this has coincided with a new era of disability activism channelled through increased social media participation. Drawing on the analysis of one group's online activities and a qualitative content analysis of disability protest coverage in traditional news media during the 2012 Paralympic Games, this article positions this shift in the broader framework of ‘new media ecology’ (Hoskins and O’Loughlin, 2010). We explore how emerging structures of disability activism have begun to offer a more visible profile to challenge government policy and negative stereotypes of disabled people. This highlights the usefulness of campaigning strategies for generating favourable news coverage for disability protest.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Trevisan, Dr Filippo and Pearson, Dr Charlotte
• Authors: Pearson, C., and Trevisan, F.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Social Scientists working in Health and Wellbeing; College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Urban Studies
• Journal Name: Disability and Society
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 0968-7599
• ISSN (Online): 1360-0508
• Published Online: 29 June 2015
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2015 Taylor and Francis
• First Published: First published in Disability and Society 30(6):924-940
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher