Social Media for Social Change

1 Credit · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Social media has quickly taken its place on the global stage as an important element of social change. From their use in advocacy on key policy issues to grassroots political mobilization to community building and activism, social media platforms are now part of what some people refer to as "new power." Social media is credited with raising awareness of issues such as poverty and disease and driving actions that influence policy and political decisions. This dynamic is re-defining the way that the public relations, philanthropic, public engagement and lobbying sectors approach grassroots mobilization. But are these platforms driving more transparent, bottom-up, nimble social movements or are they merely a tactic used by movement makers? This course will explore the power and promise of social media for social change. It will attempt to define what is the role and who are the actors of the new "social good" community. It will cite case studies from around the world as the basis for a discussion of five core questions: 1) What impact has social media had on key social change issues? 2) What makes for successful use of social media for social change initiatives? 3) What are the dangers or pitfalls of social media in today's political and economic environment? 4) How can its effectiveness be measured? 5) What is the future of social media for social change, and which global issues could it impact?