We had to rely on Instagram: Activist youth in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated inequalities in the Global South. This study examines how youth groups, known as coletivos, from low-income communities in Brazil used social media platforms during the pandemic to organize themselves. Our analysis focuses on the intersectionality of place and digital activism. Using in-depth interviews and online observation, the findings are analyzed through three lenses: the groups’ understanding of place, how the pandemic affected their place functioning and sense-making (agenda-focused, local-focused, and agenda-local groups), and how this process strengthens the different types of places (ranging from online to physical communities, encompassing local neighborhoods to national level groups). We show a significant variation across groups in the relationship between Internet dependency and place of action. Findings also demonstrate how the groups adapted their collective action toolkit to suit the digital platforms and developed new ones. This study aims to contribute to understanding activism among youth in the Global South.