Talk: Kimberly Hassel, “Racism is not a #trend!” Digital Activism, Afro-Japanese Identity, and Viral Justice in Contemporary Japan

Time: January 22 (Mon), 4-5pm
Place: HSSB 3041

Join us on January 22 (Mon), 4-5pm, in HSSB 3041, to hear a talk from Dr. Kimberly Hassel, assistant professor in the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Arizona, on “‘Racism is not a #trend!’ Digital Activism, Afro-Japanese Identity, and Viral Justice in Contemporary Japan.”

In what ways can Social Networking Services (SNS) serve as sites of community building and critical resistance through the sharing of personal stories of injustice? The talk approaches this question through the case study of digital activism among Black Japanese youths during the Black Lives Matter (BLM) demonstrations of 2020. Black Japanese youths on Instagram and Twitter used storytelling to contest racialized stereotypes, address misunderstandings of BLM, and raise awareness of the racism experienced by Black individuals in Japan.

Dr. Hassel is an anthropologist and digital ethnographer of digital culture, youth culture, diaspora, and identity in contemporary Japan. Her current book project examines the relationships between Social Networking Services, smartphones, and shifting notions of sociality and belonging in Japan.