Social Networking

Volume 7, Issue 3 (July 2018)

ISSN Print: 2169-3285   ISSN Online: 2169-3323

Google-based Impact Factor: 1.07  Citations  

Weight Bias: Twitter as a Tool for Opening Dialogue among Broad Audiences

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DOI: 10.4236/sn.2018.73009    720 Downloads   1,634 Views  Citations

ABSTRACT

Twitter is a tool for strengthening research knowledge mobilization to the general public. In this article, we highlight how Twitter can be used to open social dialogue about research related topics between users from multiple perspectives, using the topic of weight bias; a cultural issue largely perpetuated by the media. Specifically, Twitter (@UCalgary Body BS) was used by an interdisciplinary research team to under line cases of global news, stories, and policy related to weight bias and/or weight-related issues for a broad audience to consume. We position Twitter as a relevant means for 1) shaping the research lifecycle, 2) increasing community participation and engagement regarding specific research topics, 3) co-creating evolving social dialogues and critique, 4) reaching broader audiences, 5) opening up sites of debate and tension within a topic, and 6) engaging with a topic salient within our society, a topic that saturates the media—weight bias.

Share and Cite:

Williams, E. , Russell-Mayhew, S. , Nutter, S. , Arthur, N. and Kassan, A. (2018) Weight Bias: Twitter as a Tool for Opening Dialogue among Broad Audiences. Social Networking, 7, 111-125. doi: 10.4236/sn.2018.73009.

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