In the aftermath of the November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, the French youth interfaith association Coexister created the hashtag #NousSommesUnis (We Are United) to show solidarity and promote social cohesion. The hashtag assumes a particular meaning for young Muslims, such as the members of the association Ptudiants Musulmans de France (EMF, French Muslim Students), who use it not only to mourn victims, but also to distance themselves from religious-inspired violence and counteract Islamophobia. This chapter explores the diffusion of #NousSommesUnis to show that digital media are a relevant tool to understand the religious engagement of young people, who tend to rely on Internet communications more heavily than previous generations. By means of a qualitative analysis, the chapter explores discourses created in three digital venues: 1) Twitter messages containing the hashtag #NousSommesUnis sent by members and sympathizers of Coexister and EMF; 2) videos about #NousSommesUnis created and uploaded on YouTube by EMF members and other young users; and 3) the website of the collective of associations #NousSommesUnis, founded by Coexister to promote campaigns in digital as well as physical venues. The analysis suggests that #NousSommesUnis helps to create a hypermediated religious space. The theory of hypermediation is useful to understand how young Muslims connect everyday actions and experiences on various digital media, articulate discourses that are re-mediated by other users, and aim at attracting the attention of national and international media. They create hypermediated spaces because they are able to connect online and offline activities through different media strategies, and establish venues to negotiate their religious identities in a society that tends to frame Islam as incompatible with Western values. In conclusion, the chapter argues that a focus on hypermediated spaces created by young Muslims can open up new perspectives on relationships between religion, race, age, communities, and social actions.
Evolvi, G. (2019). #NousSommesUnis: Muslim Youth, Hypermediated Internet Spaces, and European Islam. Vienna : V&r Unipress.
#NousSommesUnis: Muslim Youth, Hypermediated Internet Spaces, and European Islam
Giulia Evolvi
2019
Abstract
In the aftermath of the November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, the French youth interfaith association Coexister created the hashtag #NousSommesUnis (We Are United) to show solidarity and promote social cohesion. The hashtag assumes a particular meaning for young Muslims, such as the members of the association Ptudiants Musulmans de France (EMF, French Muslim Students), who use it not only to mourn victims, but also to distance themselves from religious-inspired violence and counteract Islamophobia. This chapter explores the diffusion of #NousSommesUnis to show that digital media are a relevant tool to understand the religious engagement of young people, who tend to rely on Internet communications more heavily than previous generations. By means of a qualitative analysis, the chapter explores discourses created in three digital venues: 1) Twitter messages containing the hashtag #NousSommesUnis sent by members and sympathizers of Coexister and EMF; 2) videos about #NousSommesUnis created and uploaded on YouTube by EMF members and other young users; and 3) the website of the collective of associations #NousSommesUnis, founded by Coexister to promote campaigns in digital as well as physical venues. The analysis suggests that #NousSommesUnis helps to create a hypermediated religious space. The theory of hypermediation is useful to understand how young Muslims connect everyday actions and experiences on various digital media, articulate discourses that are re-mediated by other users, and aim at attracting the attention of national and international media. They create hypermediated spaces because they are able to connect online and offline activities through different media strategies, and establish venues to negotiate their religious identities in a society that tends to frame Islam as incompatible with Western values. In conclusion, the chapter argues that a focus on hypermediated spaces created by young Muslims can open up new perspectives on relationships between religion, race, age, communities, and social actions.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
