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We are excited to share that our digital activism toolkit is now available in , thanks to the thoughtful work of . A heartfelt shout-out to Aya and Marissa, who not only translated with precision, but also infused the work with creativity, care, and solidarity. We are also deeply grateful to Professor Amalinda Savirani, our trusted “rhizomatic network” broker, whose support and connection made this collaboration possible.

This toolkit is adapted from a larger handbook on digital activism that Merlyna Lim and Kathy Dobson are currently co-authoring at ALiGN. The handbook brings together twelve real-world case studies, each paired with practical tools for organizers and educators, and offers critical insights into how digital media both empowers and constrains today’s social movements. Though the handbook is still in progress, we feel it is urgent to share parts of it now—especially the toolkit—to support civic resistance in Indonesia and beyond.

At ALiGN Media Lab, we stand in solidarity with students and activists in Indonesia and all across the globe who continue to resist injustice and inequality with courage and creativity.

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Curious about social media and society in Indonesia? Don’t miss this special issue of INDONESIA (Cornell University Press), co-edited by David Kloos, Johan Lindquist, and Merlyna Lim. It features a co-authored piece on the making of social media publics by Kloos, Lim, and Linquist, Lim’s article on the politics of “curhat” (pouring your heart out) practices, and a rich lineup of essays by , , , , , ––, and Tapsell.

Lim’s “curhat” article:
The whole issue:

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Lim, M. 2024. Social Media and Politics in Southeast Asia. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.  [] []

Video abstract:

Abstract:

The monograph endeavors to enrich and broaden Southeast Asian research by exploring the intricate interplay between social media and politics. Employing an interdisciplinary approach and grounded in extensive longitudinal research, the study uncovers nuanced political implications, highlighting the platform’s dual role in both fostering grassroots activism and enabling autocratic practices of algorithmic politics, notably in electoral politics. It underscores social media’s alignment with communicative capitalism, where algorithmic marketing culture overshadows public discourse, and perpetuates affective binary mobilization that benefits both progressive and regressive grassroots activism. It can facilitate oppositional forces but is susceptible to authoritarian capture. The rise of algorithmic politics also exacerbates polarization through algorithmic enclaves and escalates disinformation, furthering autocraticizing trends. Beyond Southeast Asia, the monograph provides analytical and conceptual frameworks to comprehend the mutual algorithmic/political dynamics amidst the contestation between progressive forces and the autocratic shaping of technological platforms.

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In October 2023, Merlyna Lim published an article, titled “Everything everywhere all at once”: Social Media, Algorithmic/Marketing Culture, and Activism in Southeast Asia” in the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, 24(2): 181-190. . It’s available for download here [] or here [].

In this article, Merlyna Lim delves into the intricate relationship between social media and politics, specifically concerning the dynamics of activism in Southeast Asia. She argues that in today’s social media landscape, civil society operates against growing state control and repression while simultaneously navigating the emergence of algorithmic politics often characterized by binary populist frameworks and the expansion of the cyber-propaganda industry.

Check out the video of Lim’s “Q&A with Author” below.

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Just published:

Lim, M. (2023) , in E. Hansson & M. Weiss (eds.) Routledge Handbook of Civil and Uncivil Society in Southeast Asia, pp. 25-44.
#openaccess #free #nopaywall

Abstract:
This chapter offers a historical narrative of the co-evolution of digital media and civil society and provides insights into the implications of changes in the media environment for the realm of politics and the transformation of civil society activism in Southeast Asia. Covering three chronological but overlapping periods spanning from the 1990s to the early 2020s, it presents a historical periodisation that follows technological shifts – notably from the static Internet to blogging to social media – and the political ramifications of these shifts in civil society activism. The chapter highlights the ambivalent role of digital media as space and platform for civic engagement and mobilisation and as an exponent of polarisation, radicalisation, and manipulation.

The entire book, consists of 21 interesting chapters, is available .

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We’re still enjoying our summer break. However, it doesn’t mean nothing’s going on at ALiGN 🙂 We’re busy working on various things, our own research and, of course, the next special issue!

In the meantime, in the last couple months, several publications from ALiGN folks are published. These include:

• Dobson, K. (2019). . In J. Hunsinger, M. M. Allen, & L. Klastrup (Eds.), Second International Handbook of Internet Research, Springer.
• Lim, M. (2019). Cyber-Urban Space. In The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia or Urban and Regional Studies, A. M. Orum (Ed.). []
• Lim, M. (2019). Disciplining Dissent: Freedom, Control, and Digital Activism in Southeast Asia, in R. Padawangi (ed.) Routledge Handbook of Urbanization in Southeast Asia, London: Routledge, pp. 478-494. [Download PDF]
• Woo, B. & Rajani, N. (2019). Comic Book Stores as Sites of Struggle, in , Rutgers University Press.

Also, Nasreen Rajani and Merlyna Lim were featured in the media:

• Lim in CTV News Channel: Protests in Hong Kong primarily going offline, interviewed by Angie Seth.
• Lim in CBC News: Hong Kong protesters go offline to dodge China’s digital surveillance, by Ramona Pringle.
• Rajani in Post<Riposte: Episode 16 – Election Detection: Fighting Fake News and Toxic Politics, by Sherry Aske. /sjc/2019/episode-16-election-detection-fighting-fake-news-and-toxic-politics/

Enjoy!

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Merlyna Lim has developed a list of 10 things to be avoided in good writing. Now, we are sharing it with you for your own use in writing or teaching.

She said:

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