Witches and Ashewo’s: an autoethnographic exploration of social media feminist activism in Nigerian society, by a daughter of disobedience

This narrative autoethnographic study explores the ways in which Social Media Feminist Activsim in Nigeria can be seen to be challenging problematic societal norms that have enabled and reinforced Violence Against Women in the country. Through findings gathered from multiple relevant case-illustrations, such as the #AbujaRaidOnWomen; Qualitative Interviews of four sample groups; Tweet excerpt archiving; and autoethnographic accounts it traces feminist discourses on Twitter in Nigeria, and argues that the recent burgeoning of feminist activism on the microblogging platform is educating and empowering women and girls engaged with it, and shaping and reshaping normative perspectives on Violence Against Women. Using concepts of Popular Misogyny; Rape Culture; Legal Translation; Agenda-Setting Theory; and Sociology Of Wired Generations as lenses of analysis, it seeks to establish Social Media Feminist Activism as a Human Rights Based-tool that can be utilised in efforts to achive gender equality, and indeed development. Although, the changes it is inspiring are argued to be gradual, this thesis hypothesizes that through digital-activism, an agenda has been set that is allowing all kinds of Nigerians think about norms enabling Violence Against Women, and in instances, triggerring processes of unlearning and learning.