Mary Grace Antony

‘This is citizen journalism at its finest’: YouTube and the public sphere in the Oscar Grant shooting incident

On 1 January 2009, Oscar Grant was shot and killed in a subway station by Bay Area Rail Transit officers. This event was recorded by several passengers on their cellphones and later uploaded to the video-sharing website YouTube. The videos generated significant protests among online and offline communities, and were eventually used as evidence in the ensuing trial. This study employed a critical thematic analysis to examine audience responses to this act of citizen journalism on YouTube. Results indicated that although some viewers critiqued the video quality and the cameraperson’s passivity, several supportive comments praised the cameraperson’s presence of mind and courage. Furthermore, some viewers called for resistance and retaliation, while others advocated a more prudent response. We argue that these findings necessitate a reconceptualization of traditional notions of the guard-dog media and the public sphere to accommodate new media technologies.

A cross-cultural comparison of Croatian and American social network sites: Exploring cultural differences in motives for Instagram use

Although Instagram is one of the fastest growing social media, scholars are yet to examine cultural differences among users behavior. The current study compares motives for Instagram use between participants from two countries: Croatia, a highly collectivistic culture, and the United States, a typically individualist culture. Specifically, it examines the relationship between motives and behavioral outcomes of use (time spent on Instagram, the frequency of hashtagging, and the number of Instagram followers). Findings reveal that while motivations behind Instagram use do not vary across cultures, different forms of gratification determine how Instagram is used, and how culture moderates these relationships. Croatian students Instagram use reflects collectivist tendencies, primarily social interaction. American students use of Instagram reflects individualistic trends, namely self-promotion and documentation. In addition, American students self-promotion gratifications are significantly related to the amount of time spent on Instagram, although this effect is not apparent among Croatian students. While American students are inclined to use hashtags for documentation, Croatian participants tend to use hashtags for other reasons, including self-promotion, social interaction, and creativity. Croatian students Instagram use reflects collectivist tendencies (e.g., social interaction).American students Instagram use reflects individualistic tendencies (e.g., self-promotion).American students are inclined to use hashtags for documentation.Croatian students tend to use hashtags for self-promotion, social interaction, and creativity.

“This Right Here Is All About Living”: Communicating the “Common Sense” About Home Stability Through CBPR and Photovoice

Homelessness remains a major problem in the United States as a result of urban deprivation, economic decline, a rise in housing costs, and a decline in blue-collar wages. Meanwhile, the dominant discourses around homelessness tend to frame the matter in terms of individual deviance rather than structural impediments. This study utilizes Community-Based Participatory Research and the photovoice method to articulate what a small number of “successfully home stable individuals” attribute to helping them to remain home stable as well as those factors that challenge this situation. The study analyzes how these attributions challenge the “common sense” about homelessness by refiguring the concept as a reintegration process with manifold causes and paths into and out of episodic home instability and giving voice to formerly homeless individuals who are successfully navigating reintegration into housed society.

“Stop sending your kids across our border:” Discursively constructing the unaccompanied youth migrant

ABSTRACT The recent migration of 65,000 children across the southwestern border, coupled with allegations of abuse by the U.S. Border Patrol, enables the investigation of an overlooked immigrant category: the unaccompanied youth migrant. Analyzing audience responses to news reports of the abuse, we find that established disparaging immigrant tropes apply, describing the children as an economic burden, disease carriers, and offspring of irresponsible families. We uncover two new themes: Youth migrants are channels whereby criminals may infiltrate the U.S., and manipulate legal authorities to remain in the U.S. Finally, we demonstrate how global compassion is strategically deployed to qualify harsh retaliatory measures.

Competing constructions of British national identity: British newspaper comment on the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony:

This study used newspaper comment on the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London as an avenue to discuss and contemplate British national identity. Through analysis of 91 editorials and opinion columns in the British national press, we uncovered three prominent themes in newspaper discourse: the ‘greatness’ of Great Britain, the ceremony as a symbol of contemporary political contestation, and the difficulties of defining and articulating a coherent, ‘catch-all’ definition of British identity. These results are demonstrative of the inherent challenge to connect multiple and contradictory conceptualizations of national identity into a coherent whole.

On the Spot: Seeking Acceptance and Expressing Resistance through the Bindi

Abstract Originally indicative of adherence to Hindu spirituality, the bindi is gaining popularity beyond Indian shores as a trendy fashion accessory. This paper attempts a discursive analysis of the bindi as a performative indicator of acquiescence to the Indian way of life, and as a symbol of resistance to assert individuality and femininity in the pursuit of larger sociopolitical action. Research findings indicate that although it was once considered a quintessential symbol of Indian womanhood, the bindi as a performative identifier has evolved beyond religious significance to include Indo chic, political affiliation, pseudo spiritual identification, as well as feminism and social activism.

Exploring diversity through dialogue: avowed and ascribed identities

Courses: Intercultural Communication, Conflict and Communication, Interpersonal Communication Objectives: After completing this single-class activity, students should be able to (1) differentiate between the avowed versus ascribed dimensions of cultural identity construction; (2) articulate the contested nature of cultural identity, including how cultural stereotypes guide perceptions of the Other; and (3) demonstrate tolerance through active and supportive listening to facilitate a nuanced appreciation of cultural diversity.

“Hello, How May I Offend You Today?” NBC's Outsourced and the Discourse of Cultural Authenticity

Cultural authenticity is a fluid construct in an era in which globalization is celebrated and vilified. The author examines how cultural authenticity is discursively ascribed, legitimized, and negotiated among creators and viewers of the short-lived NBC series Outsourced within the overlapping contexts of globalization, outsourcing, and fake Indian accents. Findings indicate that authenticity materialized around country of origin, and the author explores whether cultural artifacts conformed to iconic signifiers. The implications are contextualized within Arjun Appadurais globalization framework.