research
A growing collection of research papers authored by Thomas Mofolo, based on various studies about social media events that have radically catalysed civic discourse, and collective action against social injustice or in support of sustainable development initiatives. All of these papers were written under academic supervision and thorough assessment. Please do not plagiarise and cite appropriately.
hivemind impact
A study about the evolution and simulation of virality on social media to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. This research was based on Global Citizen’s 2020 world record breaking virtual benefit campaign ‘One World: #TogetherAtHome’ with the intention of studying it's efficacy to promote social distancing, and understanding the mechanics of informed agency on social media. Following the outbreak of the pandemic, social distancing became a critical public health objective around the world in order to alleviate the spread of the coronavirus. The methods of inquiry for this research made use of a qualitative survey to better understand the perceptions and motivations of participants responses to the campaign's call to action (a digital pledge to stay at home), and found that it was effective in persuading most of the participants to practice social distancing. Hivemind Impact is a theoretical and practical framework developed from this study, and uses Yousri Marzouki and Olivier Oullier's 'Virtual Collective Consciousness', Douglas Rushkoff's 'Media Virus', Baudrillard's 'Simulacra and Simulation', and Sarah Rose Cavanaugh's 'Hivemind' to conceptualise a new understanding of what it means "to go viral", and how it can be simulated on social media to effect social change offline.
Institution:
University of Cape Town
Centre for Film & Media Studies
Date:
2020
vcx5: virtual collaborative content creation for civic conscientisation
An inquiry into the viral discourses about race concerning what #BlackLivesMatter means to the born free generation of South Africa. This research was specifically focused on the local social media events and discussions following the death of George Floyd in 2020. Virtual Collaborative Content Creation for Civic Conscientization (VCx5) is a practical framework for cyber activism which was developed from this study in response to the South African government's National Action Plan to combat Racism (NAP). The framework was produced as a byproduct of a social media campaign which was created to support the Brackenfell High School protests against racism, and was produced in collaboration with local activists and artists to educate South African youth about the black consciousness movement which subverted apartheid. At a theoretical level VCx5 provides a pathway towards critical social media pedagogy that integrates narrative, social media, and the civic.
Institution:
University of Cape Town
Centre for Film & Media Studies
Date:
2020