Media and Identity in the Margins: The Garifuna Response to Social Media

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to understand how social media is affecting the identities of indigenous cultures. Using natives of Central America with ancestral roots in Africa as research subjects, this research explores how the Garifuna culture experiences social media and how these media influence cultural perceptions. Using a grounded theory approach, in-depth interviews were conducted in the United States and Honduras. The results of those interviews indicate that media can aid individuals within the Garifuna culture to reconcile their three identities (Black, Hispanic, and American) and thereby form a stronger sense of self.  This research suggests that new media might create a type of triple consciousness within cultural perception.