Exploring Public Opinion Research of Social Movements: The Case of BLM

This thesis is an exploration aiming to bridge the dissonance between public opinion and the methods through which we explore the perceptions of people about social movements. It relies on the premise that we live in a world of multiple realities, and as such the generalisation of much social science research is only practical in certain contexts. It forefronts the researchers’ onto-epistemological standing as an integral part of doing research. Specifically, this thesis will investigate the case of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and explore how people’s perceptions of this are shifting to a less consistent understanding. Especially when considering the BLM as a catalyst of awareness or as an organisational entity. This research takes an inventive methods approach to its methodology that allows for the respondents to build the research rather than relying on the researcher to procure it. At the same time, personal experiences, thoughts, and biases of the researcher will also be acknowledged and used rather than subverted. This thesis aims to bridge the gap between social science – sociology – research around the way we, as sociologists, make contributions to the field and the world in which we live by also acknowledging the body of the researcher.