Social media in a social mobilisation – a shift in Guatemala : A research on how #RenunciaYa influenced a whole nation

Abstract

This research look at the role social media played in a political situation in Guatemala in 2015. Both the President and the Vice-President are now in jail because of a corruption scandal named “la linea”, and because of the joint pressure from #RenunciaYa, university students, newspapers and international government officials. It explores how social media was used to create a social mobilisation by the help of a civic organisation named #RenunciaYa. In addition to looking at social media in social mobilisation, the role of the students and the difference between students at private universities and public universities are discussed. Qualitative method is applied, with the main information extracted from personal interviews. The study concludes with social media playing a big part in this social mobilisation, but only as a supportive tool. Students from the public university show more knowledge about the corruption scandal, but the participation in the social mobilisation show many similarities.