Analyzing Websites

6Analyzing the Mobilization Against the LPR on Twitter: Theoretical Issues and Methodological Challenges

Justine SIMON

ELLIADD, Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France

6.1. Introduction

Digital social networks have become prime locations for self-expression and interaction in times of protest. Faced with a growing feeling of distrust toward political activities, they have become essential places to criticize the decisions of leaders and to promote acts of protest.

Opposed to the future multiannual research programming law (LPPR) – which became the research programming law (LPR); approved on December 24, 2020¹ – many representatives of higher education and research institutions (researchers, teacher/researchers, collectives, journals, unions, etc.) have seized on these networks in order to take a stand to defend the values of university professions with a public service vocation and promote their activist actions (AGMs, motions, demonstrations, flash mobs, collective HCERES candidatures [Haut Conseil de l’évaluation de la recherche et de l’enseignement supérieur], creativity challenges launched on the networks, “black screen” operations, etc.).

We know that the social-digital device of Twitter allows users to target different audiences at several levels of interaction: the connected general public (all Twitter users and non-registered Internet users), the circle of followers of the account and a particular account (in mentions, by adding the at-sign “@” followed by the ...