“Glocal” and Transversal Engagement in Youth Social Movements: A Twitter-Based Case Study of Fridays For Future-Barcelona

Abstract

In the last decade, there has been a significant rise in the number of global social movements, generating claims of a new networked era of global social movements, in which young people often play a central role. Young generations and social movements tend to identify with a diverse set of social and political issues on both a global and local scale, while often displaying a progressive and transversal outlook. Among these youth social movements, we find Fridays For Future, a youth climate organization noted for its unique scope and tactics as well as for illustrating the prominence of environmental issues in youth activism. Since 2018, the movement has progressively grown into a network composed of many local and national groups across the world. Beyond analysis of the global character of the movement and the profile and motivations of its activists, it seems opportune to look at how—at the organizational level—these local groups evolve and position themselves. Based on a social network and a content analysis of Fridays For Future-Barcelona’s Twitter account since its creation, this article explores the organization’s “glocal” and transversal dynamics, the relationship that might exist between these two, and the potential influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on these processes. The results show that, stemming from a global preoccupation for climate change, this Youth Climate Movement organization has been increasingly oriented towards local-level networking, anchoring its activism in local struggles and realities. They also show a positively-associated process—reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic—of increasing transversality, reflecting aspirations for global justice and the idea of an interdependency between climate change and other social, political and economic issues.

European Leadership and European Youth in the Climate Change Regime Complex

“…The first group analyzes youth climate protests, especially the FFF movement, with detailed analyses of youth claims (Knops, 2021). Terren and Soler-i-Martí (2021) analyze the social network and discourse of FFF-Barcelona presented on their Twitter account. O'Brien et al (2018) suggest a typology of youth activism as dutiful, disruptive, and dangerous dissent actions, demonstrating the diverse ways youth use to target climate policy from the outside.…”

Recognizing the City's Historical Potential Through Drawing Group Activities in Majalaya, Bandung Regency

“…Media independen ini didirikan di tahun 2020, dengan visi bergerak bersama publik mengumpulkan ide inspiratif lokal berwawasan global (glocal ideas) menciptakan kanal interaksi dan ruang-ruang kreatif di berbagai bidang (glocal movement). Apalagi, dalam dasawarsa terakhir, telah terjadi peningkatan yang signifikan dalam jumlah gerakan sosial global, yang menghasilkan sebuah jaringan baru dari gerakan sosial global, di mana kaum muda seringkali memainkan peran sentral (Terren and Soler-i-Martí, 2021). Salah satu kegiatan utama yang dilakukan komunitas ini di antara lain adalah, mengadakan event MIDEfest (Majalaya Ideas and Culture Festival) yang bertujuan menjadi sebuah ruang refleksi dan kolaborasi bagi insan kreatif Majalaya dengan para pihak yang bersemangat untuk memajukan Kota Majalaya.…”

The power of connection: Resource and responsibility in the virtual community experience of Italian trans and gender‐diverse activists

“…The Internet has witnessed various forms of virtual communities emerge atop evolving technical infrastructure—including newsgroups, blogs, knowledge repositories, question‐and‐answer forums and social network sites (SNSs), all of which have been identified as virtual communities (Mamonov, Koufaris, & Benbunan‐Fich, 2016). Over time, virtual communities, especially through SNS (e.g., Facebook, X and Instagram), initiated a hybridization of offline and online spaces, providing access to ubiquitous local community experiences (Gatti & Procentese, 2022) and enabling engagement in international social movements (e.g., Fridays for Future; Terren & Soler‐i‐Martí, 2021). This process was significantly accelerated by the COVID‐19 pandemic, which has impacted the way the public lives, communicates and learns, thereby fostering the proliferation of virtual communities at faster rates (Zhao & Shi, 2022).…”