2023
Cairn
Benjamin Loveluck, « “They demanded justice for the martyred cat“ : The digital backstage of a collective outrage », Revue française de science politique, ID : 10670/1.40f788...
This research examines the collective mobilization that occurred after a stray cat was discovered dead and mutilated in Draguignan (Var), leading to the creation of several Facebook groups, as well as a petition on Change.org. It sheds light on the emotional drivers of collective action, in the context of changing attitudes towards animal rights and with a focus on the digital dynamics of the mobilization. It shows the circulation of affects, as well as the investigative labor carried out by the participants. It also describes the skills developed by the movement’s leaders in order to lead and moderate online interactions, as well as the active role played by the Change.org platform. Finally, this article highlights the uncertain boundaries of an instance of collective action based on moral outrage mediated by online platforms, which are prone to forms of punitive denunciation.