Author Details

'Cancel culture' is a term on which the internet is widely divided into sections. Initially meant to call out the wrong doings of the people in powerful positions and hold them accountable for their actions, is now also seen as a tool for further exploitation of the marginalized people. It is essential to distinguish between the various terminologies around it in order to understand the various standpoints around it. This research project tries to highlight the same. Social exclusion from the online space can have a significant impact on the mental health of people. Even though this has been discussed, it is essential to see cancel culture in the light of its impact on different hierarchies of the society and the rising intolerance on the online space in the Indian context. Hence, the objectives of the study are- Understanding the history of repression and social exclusion, which has now evolved into a new form known as cancel culture. Investigating the effects of cancel culture on the mental health of various groups. This study is a qualitative analysis of various accounts of cancel culture. The methodology consists of interviews of experts from the fields of psychology, political science and media and film studies. It also relies on the secondary data analysis of various journal articles, news articles and books. The theoretical framework of the study is Martha Nussbaum's theory of objectification and Noelle-Neumann's spiral of silence theory and the result is consistent with it. The conclusion summarizes the key findings and considers their broader implications. the study's rationale is to comprehend the complexities of cancel culture in the light of intolerance and study the mental health implications for various sections of society in India.

Keywords

Cancel Culture, Boycott Culture, Digital Activism, Social Media, History of Repression

Full Text

References

Ashokkumar, A., Talaifar, S., & Fraser, W. (2020). Censoring political opposition online: Who does it and why. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2020.104031

Banka, N. (2020, August 23). Explained: What is 'cancel culture'? The Indian express. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/what-you-need-to-know-about-cancelculture- 6563117/

Beutel, M.E., Klein, E.M., Brähler, E., Reiner, I., Jünger, C., Michal, M., Wiltink, J., Wild, P.S., Münzel, T., Lackner, K.J., & Tibubos, A.N. (2017). Loneliness in the general population: Prevalence, determinants and relations to mental health. BMC Psychiatry, 17(1), 97. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-017-1262-x

Freedom of Speech (2008). Stanford Encyclopedia of philosophy. Retrieved 10 June 2013.

George, J., & Leidner, D. (2019). From clicktivism to hacktivism: Understanding digital activism. Information and Organization. From Clicktivism to Hacktivism: Understanding Digital Activism. Information and Organization. https://doi.org/10. 1016/j.infoandorg.2019.04.001

Glynn, C.J., & Ostman, R.E. (1995). Opinions, perception and social reality. In T.L. Glasser and C.T. Salmon (Eds.), Public opinion and the communication of consent (pp. 249-277). New York: Guilford.

Greijdanus, H., & Fernandes, C. A. M. (2020). The psychology of online activism and social movements: Relations between online and offline collective action. The Psychology of Online Activism and Social Movements: Relations between Online and Offline Collective Action. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.03.003

Hagi, S. (2019b, November 21). Cancel culture is not real at least not in the way people think. Time. https://time.com/5735403/cancel-culture-is-not-real/

Haridwar: Police Case after Outrage in India over Anti-Muslim Hate Speech.” BBC News, 24 Dec. 2021, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-59778426.

Honari, A. (2019). Online and offline political participation under repression: Iranian Green Movement supporters between two elections, 2009-2013. VU Amsterdam.

Institute on Public Safety and Social Justice. Adler University. 26 February 2020.

Mishan, L. (2020, December 3). The long and tortured history of cancel culture. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/03/t-magazine/cancel-culturehistory. html

Munawar Faruqui (2021). Bail for jailed India comic who did not crack a joke (February 5). BBC News.

Neureiter, M., & Katz, J. (2021). Why do boycotts sometimes increase sales? Consumer Activism in the Age of Political Polarization. Why Do Boycotts Sometimes Increase Sales? Consumer Activism in the Age of Political Polarization. https://doi.org/10.1 016/j.bushor.2021.02.02

Norris, P. (2021). Cancel culture: Myth or reality. Cancel Culture: Myth or Reality. https://doi.org/10.1177/00323217211037023

Pathak, J. (2014). Digital activism through social media: Its applicability in creating political awareness in India. Digital Activism through social media; Its Applicability in Creating Political Awareness in India.

Puras, D. (2018). Report of the special rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. United Nations Digital Library. https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/1627460

Shade, C. (2021, February 27). Mental health is a political problem. Tribune. https://tribunemag.co.uk/2021/02/mental-health-is-a-political-problem/

Shah, V., Sivitanides, M., & Mehta, M. (2013). The era of digital activism. The Era of Digital Activism. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJITCC.2013.059409

Things We Tried To “Boycott” In 2020 For No Reason At All. The Quint. https://www.thequint.com/neon/social-buzz/10-things-we-tried-to-boycott-in- 2020-for-no-reason-at-all

Wilkins, D.J., Livingstone, A.G., & Levine, M. (2019). All click, no action? Online action, efficacy perceptions, and prior experience combine to affect future collective action. Computers in Human Behavior, 91, 97-105.

Yakovlev, M. (2021, August 6). Cancel culture series: Interview with Charlotte Galpin. Media Diversity. https://www.media-diversity.org/cancel-culture-series-interviewwith- charlotte-galpin/

Username
Password
Remember me