In defence of click activism

Abstract

This commentary is inspired by a keynote presentation by Katrina Popovic at the ‘International Conference on Critical Education: Critical Adult Education and Learning’, held at Valletta Campus, University of Malta, between 9-12 May. The keynote was entitled ‘Neoliberalism, Postmodernism, and COVID19: The Erosion of Critical Adult Education’. One of the topics discussed by those present at this presentation was click activism. There is a perception that activism among youth is now shifting from physical demonstration to digital communication. Covid-19 is believed to have accelerated activism through social media. One take on such a proliferation of click activism, shared by some participants at the conference, is that such activism may be contributing to individual, private and anonymous citizenship. Historically, streets and squares, as spaces of protest and counterdiscourse, have contributed considerably to social change. Indonesia’s (my home country) most memorable protest took place in May 1998. The protest occupied almost all important public spaces. It successfully led to the overthrow of the 32-year dictatorship of Suharto. This kind of real activism was argued to be the real action and could not be shifted into digital action. [excerpt]