Graduation Term

2024

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

School of Communication

Committee Chair

Joseph P Zompetti

Abstract

This study presents a rhetorical and critical analysis of labor memes disseminated on Twitter/X, Facebook, and Reddit during the protracted dispute between UPS labor and management in 2023. Drawing from rhetorical and argumentation frameworks, the study reveals the multifaceted nature of contemporary activist labor dissent. Through a discursive analysis of sixteen memes, the study unveils the rhetorical strategies employed by UPS workers to articulate grievances and foster solidarity within digital activist spaces. Furthermore, through a Gramscian lens, the study unravels UPS labor’s assertions of power dynamics, critiquing management’s hegemonic control and discerning moments of resistance within labor discourse. This critical inquiry reveals not only the strategic maneuvers utilized by management to perpetuate dominance but also the resilience and agency demonstrated by workers in challenging oppression. Ultimately, this study advances a nuanced understanding of digital activism’s transformative potential in advancing workers’ empowerment and social justice within contemporary socio-economic workspaces.

Access Type

Thesis-Open Access

DOI

https://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2024.20240618063948855890.999973

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