The voice of silence: youth identity and the “I am Kenyan” movement
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Date
2017
Authors
Mwangi, Alberta
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Abstract
This research seeks to examine the “I am Kenyan” youth-led cross ethnic organization and its impact on the lived experiences of political and national subjectivities of the youth in Kenya. This organization uses social media as a forum to promote non-violent inter-ethnic relations and youth awareness within the political sphere in order to facilitate the development of a unified sense of national identity. I propose to apply the term “silent” movement based on the use of social media as a platform and the body as a tool of self-expression whereby actors silently share their views online while adorning their bodies with communicative bracelets that are associated with the organization. I further seek to examine the impact of ethnic violence on new political modes of representation and identity and whether this particularized violence supports or preludes an identity-based form of slacktivism or/ “armchair” activism. My research seeks to examine how this new kind of social activism acts as a new tactic and response to state repression and political exploitation.
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Keywords
Social movements, Youth in Waithood, Ethnicity, Identity, Social media