SMYR - Social Media and Youth Research

For young people, and also for other age groups, there is a major social and individual change in how various activities are organized which also affect governmental institutions and care providers. The influence of the organization and mobilization of social media can be seen at different levels: 1) social level - where professionals such as care and school staff, field assistants and the police are affected by the rapid organization and mobilization via social media, 2) group and individual level - where previous research has shown that young people engagement in internet and social media activities in their leisure time and in different contexts contributes to defining themselves both social and private.

SMYR is a research program in which youth organization/mobilization through social media, and the following opportunities and risks are studied. I addition, we are studying how professionals’ (teachers, treatment staff and police officers) work situation changes because of the dynamics in the social media landscape. The project has already conducted four pilot studies in which young people, police, field workers, workers at refugee accommodations and LGBTQ people were interviewed about how they see the use of social media, its possibilities, dangers and organizing function in their life and work. The studies include a total of 30 people of varying ages. Additional studies are ongoing.

Participating researchers at University West

Margareta Bohlin
Sevtap Gurdal
Sabina Kapetanovic

Project leader

Margareta Bohlin

Partners

Police
High school
HVB-hem
HBTQ-kojan

Duration

2013- on-going