Visual Analysis of Social Movements

Abstract

Visual analysis is the development of concepts and methods to study visual elements of the mobilization, framing, diffusion, and resonance of protest and social movements. In the early 1990s, the “visual turn” in the humanities and cultural studies inspired a theoretical debate about the “power of images” in political conflict (Müller & Özcan 2007). While the visual turn resonated in international relations and media studies, especially in reaction to contentious global media events such as September 11, few social movement scholars have adjusted their focus to the visual realm. Although it is widely acknowledged that visible manifestations are a vital part of social movements and their reception in the public sphere, analysts of social movements have relied almost entirely on text‐based concepts and methods.

Visual aspects of online political communication in Belarus during the political crisis of 2020

“…However, most scientific publications concentrate on their potential to affect and direct civic activism (Jost et al, 2018;Barbera et al, 2019;Boulianne et al, 2020;Howard, Parks, 2012;Bronnikov, 2020;Volodenkov, Artamonova, 2020). As a rule, it is verbal communication that comes to the scientific focus (Bennett, Segerberg, 2013;Doerr et al, 2013) while the influencing potential of visual forms remains largely understudied. Those publications that do dwell upon the visual potential of social media in political communication still put too much emphasis on the verbal aspect (Highfield, Leaver, 2016;Rossi et al, 2016).…”

Picturing a Thousand Unspoken Words

“…The "martyr-pilots" made a demand for violent retaliation (Retort 2004). Doerr and Teune (2013) note how this effect can also be maneuvered to operate as a kind of visual dog whistle:…”

Visual sociology

“…Visual sociology is becoming extremely relevant in such fields of enquiry as social movement studies (Doerr et al, 2013), including practices of resistance (Adams, 2013), environmental justice and activism (Askanius and Uldam, 2014;DeLuca, 1999), the use of new media by radical (Zuev, 2011) and militant activist groups Zuev, 2011) andvisual activism (see also Current Sociology, 2016;Journal of Visual Culture, 2016). The Internet provides visual sociologists with massive opportunities as increasingly more people share their private photos and videos over social networking sites (SNS).…”