First Advisor
Kim Williams
Date of Award
6-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Political Science and University Honors
Department
Politics and Global Affairs
Language
English
Subjects
Social Media, TikTok, Economic Inequality, Engagement, Social Movements, Qualitative Analysis
DOI
10.15760/honors.1683
Abstract
This thesis investigates how economic inequality is framed and engaged with on TikTok, particularly in comparison to two other highly-salient sociopolitical issues to Gen Z: racial justice and climate change. Through a qualitative content analysis of 45 TikTok posts tied to specific public events, the study examines how issues are visually and emotionally presented on a platform heavily used by Gen Z. Drawing on existing literature in digital political expression and social movement theory, the research identifies eight coding categories including tone, emotional appeal, and identity framing, to analyze content. Findings show that economic inequality is consistently portrayed with less emotional intensity than racial justice or climate change, and lacked a cohesive visual or narrative framing that would support virality. While Gen Z is often characterized as politically engaged, this study suggests that TikTok's platform favors certain types of issues over others, with implications for influencing which causes gain traction, more broadly and in the eyes of younger generations. Ultimately, the study highlights the challenges of translating complex issues like economic inequality into emotionally resonant, viral, and unified content within algorithmically defined digital spaces.
Rights
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Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/43782
Recommended Citation
Brown, Braydan, "Framing Economic Inequality on TikTok: A Qualitative Analysis of Gen Z's Engagement Across Three Issues" (2025). University Honors Theses. Paper 1651.
https://doi.org/10.15760/honors.1683