This project is developed within a PhD scholarship with the funding reference 2023.01839.BD.

This PhD project looks into Palestine's cybercultural landscape, studying the complex interplay of activism, communication, and culture. It aims to investigate the nuanced meanings embedded in everyday cybercultural practices, with a particular focus on hashtag activism, and their contemporary relevance within the Palestinian diaspora.

This study aims to move beyond the widely debated notion of online activism as merely a mobilisation tool and look into the "cultural possibilities" that cyber-spaces provide (Khalili, 2005, 127). Through an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from social movements, culturalstudies, communication- and performance studies, and critical arguments on the question of (cyber-)space, the study seeks to illuminate the multifaceted nature of cybercultural practices and their significance in challenging hegemonic power structures andoppressive contexts.

More specifically, by delving into the internal dynamics of digital activism, often referred to as the "backstage" (Treré,2020) this research focuses on theorising hashtags as cultural sites of resistance and performative tools for communication. By shedding light on the intricate connections between cultural factors, activism, and hashtagging, the study aims to deepen our understanding of the transformative potential of these practices.

This project uses the case study and eponymous hashtag campaign #KeffiyehThursday, which serves as an example of how digital activism can transcend borders, facilitate communication, and inspire further digital organising. By examining this specific campaign within its historical and cultural context, the research aims to provide insights into the broader cybercultural landscape of Palestine and beyond.

Methodologically, the project employs a digital ethnographic approach, combining social network analysis, including virtualparticipant observations, and semi-structured interviews with Palestinian and solidarity activists. 

In conclusion, this project presents an original and timely contribution to the field of Palestine studies, both academically and politically in the context of contemporary grassroots politics. By exploring the potential of internet-based cultural practices as critical tools for analysing contexts of oppression, this research opens up the discussion to a transnational perspective.

Keywords: Cyberculture, Palestinian diaspora, hashtag activism, digital ethnography, #KeffiyehThursday.

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