From Double-Taps to Demonstrations: Gender Activism in Greece within Grassroots Initiatives and Instagram's Affordances

Digital technologies and media have deeply integrated into our lives, to such an extent that activities once perceived as crucial parts of the physical world now take place within the confines of the digital world. Activism, traditionally associated with the physical realm, has been altered with the emergence of new technologies and social media platforms, evolving into what is termed in the literature as 'digital activism'. Interestingly, acts of digital activism have been observed on Instagram, a relatively new social media platform that has gained immense popularity over the past decade and has caught the attention of the academic world. This thesis aims to shed light on this phenomenon, specifically focusing on digital gender activism within grassroots initiatives in Greece. By employing this specific lens, the research investigates how activists in Greece, a Western country that professes liberal values yet faces significant gender equality challenges in everyday life, leverage Instagram’s features to promote their goals. Therefore, 14 interviews are conducted with activists who are part of grassroots initiatives and manage their collective's social media. The interviews, as well as the entire research, are grounded in the theoretical framework of this study, which includes literature on activism and digital technologies, the theory of affordances and the current gender landscape in Greece. To analyze the data, a thematic analysis is employed, focusing on how gender activists perceive and utilize Instagram’s architecture and features. Three prominent themes emerge from this analysis. First, gender activists in Greece use Instagram to promote their goals, leveraging its young and active demographic and visual-centered vernacular. Their two primary objectives are information dissemination and community building-networking. Second, Instagram is an integral part of the activist toolkit, playing a significant role in both digital and offline activism. Third, gender activists in Greece use Instagram to mobilize society, countering mainstream media control, particularly during the Greek Me Too movement and the COVID-19 pandemic. The study concludes that Instagram Posts serve primarily as archival tools for activists, while Instagram Stories are utilized for immediate and urgent information dissemination. Hashtags facilitate the formation of a closer community and connection to broader movements, enhancing visibility, while Direct Messages act as central hubs for substantial communication between collectives and their followers.