Kumulative Dissertation, Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg, 2025

Von der genannten Lizenzangabe ausgenommen sind folgende Bestandteile dieser Dissertation:
Paper VI "Developing Effective and Value-Aligned AI Tools for Journalists: 12 Critical Questions to Reflect upon" (S. 205-224) und Paper VII "Attention-grabbing news coverage: Violent images of the Black Lives Matter movement and how they attract user attention on Reddit" (S. 226-286) stehen unter der CC-Lizenz CC-BY.

Lizenzvertrag: Creative Commons Namensnennung 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This dissertation investigates how online communities, particularly social movements, can become distinct and persistent actors in online environments characterized by low entry and exit barriers and fluid actor constellations. To approach this topic, I draw on the concept of collective identity, which enables collective actors to define a shared we-ness, distinguish themselves from other groups, and become recognizable to external audiences. I adopt a relational perspective on collective identity that encompasses two dimensions: the understanding that collective identity is formed in relation to other actors; and that it is shaped through the co-constitution of culture and structure. To specify the first dimension, I apply the concept of identity fields, analyzing collective identity formation across three actor categories: protagonist, antagonist, and audience. Each dimension is linked to a separate research question, with two questions formulated for the audience identity field, all of which contribute to answering the overarching research question. To substantiate the second dimension of the relational understanding, I draw on the concept of identity work, which helps specify the cultural and social expressions through which collective identity formation is examined in this dissertation. I outline the analytical potential offered by digital trace data, which, when analyzed with computational methods and qualitative approaches, enables a nuanced and large-scale empirical analysis of collective identity formation. Thus, this dissertation advances our understanding of how social movements online emerge as distinct and persistent actors through collective identity formation, offering valuable insights into digital protest and online organization.