Performative activism: A critical discourse analysis of a Twitter corpus around the engagement of the Global North in the 2022 #WomanLifeFreedom Iranian protests

This paper explores the emerging discourses on Twitter that refer to Western activism shared on social media concerning the 2022 Iranian protests. The focal point for these protests was the death of Mahsa Amini, which incited widespread demonstrations in Iran. Western activists aligned themselves with the protests by performing acts mirroring those of Iranian citizens, such as cutting their hair. These demonstrations, which gained attention in the online sphere, were critically assessed by Twitter users, leading to the emergence of various discourses. Employing a critical discourse analysis, the study aims to analyze the primary discourses constructed within the online environment. The analysis draws upon a dataset of 1,644 tweets posted between October and December 2022. The research is grounded in a twofold theoretical framework. Firstly, it explores the central concept of performativity, as articulated by Austin (1962), emphasizing the alignment between one's thoughts and actions. Secondly, it examines performativity in light of Thimsen's (2022) perspective, which relates it to slacktivism and value signaling. Through this investigation, the paper aims to scrutinize the complexities and implications of performative activism within the online realm.