A Comparative Study of Digital Social Movements in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines

Taufik, Taufik and Azis, Aswin Ariyanto and Sofwatulmillah, Geizka and Azizah, Heka Faza Nur and Jamaie, Hj. Hamil (2026) A Comparative Study of Digital Social Movements in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. JURNAL HUBUNGAN INTERNASIONAL, 14 (2). pp. 1-14. ISSN 2503-3883

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Abstract

Over the past two decades, the rise of social media has fundamentally transformed patterns of political mobilization, particularly among Millennials and Generation Z in Southeast Asia. Despite growing scholarly attention to digital activism, comparative studies examining how social media shapes youth political mobilization across Southeast Asian countries with distinct political histories remain limited. This article addresses two questions: how do Millennials and Generation Z in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines utilize social media as a space for political mobilization, and what structural, cultural, and political factors shape distinct forms of digital youth activism across the three countries. Drawing on the connective action framework and a comparative case study design through qualitative literature review, this article argues that digital social movements in these three countries constitute an emergent form of political agency shaped by authoritarian legacies, oligarchic structures, and platform-specific affordances. The findings disclosed that social media has functioned as a space for constructing collective identities that trigger real-world mobilization, as evidenced by #ReformasiDikorupsi and #TolakOmnibusLaw in Indonesia, the Bersih movement and anti-Lynas campaign in Malaysia, and #BabaeAko in the Philippines. Across all three cases, social media has served as a critical bridge between digital discourse and real-world collective action. Keywords: Indonesia; Malaysia; Philippines; politic activism; social media; social media movement.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	JOURNAL
Divisions:	Fakultas Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik > Hubungan Internasional 2026
Depositing User:	Mr Iwan Ridwan Iwan
Date Deposited:	05 Sep 2026 04:15
Last Modified:	05 Sep 2026 09:03
URI:	https://repository.unpas.ac.id/id/eprint/84678

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