Gina Glantz of the Kennedy School of Government recently visited Fritz Mayer’s “Narrative and Leadership” course to lead a discussion about how social media can impact public debate.
Harvard’s Gina Glantz talks Social Media and Storytelling with HLP Students.
Using the recent controversy between Susan G. Komen’s decision to pull its funding from Planned Parenthood, Prof. Glantz and students discussed how supporters of Planned Parenthood used social media like Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube, and blogs to eventually pressure Komen to reverse its decision. Prof. Glantz argued that supporters of Planned Parenthood were successful because they were able to use those outlets not simply to reach other like-minded individuals, but to provide a forum for supporters to share their personal stories.
Prof. Mayer’s course challenges first-year students to examine how stories and storytelling are used by leaders and communities to construct identity and create change.