The Scholarship Without Borders Journal
Abstract
This qualitative study, grounded in digital discourse theory, investigates Black Americans’ responses to the Latino community’s calls for protest support against federal deportation policies under the current U.S. administration. Twelve publicly available YouTube videos from Spring 2025 were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis to identify key patterns in Black discourse, including themes of strategic withdrawal, political disillusionment, solidarity fatigue, and historical tension.
This study defines 'stand down' as a deliberate, non-antagonistic decision to refrain from participating in another group’s protest movement. Findings indicate that disengagement is not rooted in apathy but is shaped by long-standing racialized experiences, ideological misalignment, and emotional exhaustion from prior cross-racial advocacy efforts. By applying digital discourse theory to analyze these video-based expressions, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of contemporary racial dynamics, the boundaries of solidarity, and the evolving role of social media in constructing collective identities and political disengagement.
Recommended Citation
Hargett, Professor Meya E.
(2025)
"Black Americans’ Strategic Disengagement in Digital Protest: A Thematic Analysis of YouTube Responses to Latino Deportation Appeals (2025),"
The Scholarship Without Borders Journal: Vol. 3:
Iss.
2, Article 2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.57229/2834-2267.1068
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/swbj/vol3/iss2/2
Included in
African American Studies Commons, Africana Studies Commons, African History Commons, Ethnic Studies Commons, Latina/o Studies Commons, Leadership Studies Commons, Other Education Commons, Puerto Rican Studies Commons, United States History Commons