When the ‘Stroller Moms’ Take Hold of the Street: A Case Study of How Social Influence Made the Inactive Publics Active in Anti-U.S. Beef Protest in Seoul—An Issues Processes Model Perspective

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the case of anti-U.S. beef protest in Seoul in 2008 to explain how issues are created and emerge into the public and how the issue activation process takes individuals and groups from a state of inactivity to activism using Hallahan's Issues Processes Model (2001) as a theoretical framework. The study also looks at how online social community sites played a critical role in converting inactive publics into active publics by enhancing individuals' (the stroller moms') knowledge and involvement to be engaged with active communication behavior of information seeking and protesting against the Korean government's decision on U.S. beef import. Strategic lessons for organizations (e.g., Korean government) and communicative entities, and new considerations for the Issues Process Model are also discussed.