Global Mediatized Death and Emotion

Parasocial Grieving—Mourning #stephenhawking on Twitter

Bibliographic Data

ID13628611
AuthorsNajma Akhther (0000-0001-5897-3102, Wayne State University, corresponding author), Dinah A Tetteh (0000-0002-3868-7544, Department of Communication, Arkansas State University, State University, AR, USA)
Year2021
Volume87
Issue1
Pages126-145
Publication date2021-05-21
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueOMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0030-2228 • E-ISSN: 1541-3764
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00302228211014775
PMID34018436
OpenAlexW3162465298
LanguageEN
Citations received18
References cited33

This study examined mediatized death and emotion, specifically parasocial grieving, toward high-profile celebrity Stephen Hawking's death from a global perspective. A thematic analysis of public tweets explored how social media mourners expressed parasocial grieving following Hawking's death and how that shaped mediatized global flows of emotion in terms of digital affect culture. Findings showed varied forms of mediatized emotional responses associated with parasocial grievings, such as sadness, shock, confusion, love, and longing. Mourners also adopted varied coping mechanisms, including individualized tributes, reminiscing, memorializing, and advocacy. Findings suggested that Hawking's mourners performed parasocial death rituals on Twitter as a legitimate public space of mourning. Findings contribute to parasocial grieving scholarship and mediatization of death and emotion

Confusion · Grief · Psychoanalysis · Psychotherapist · Sadness · Media Influence and Health · Psychology · Public Relations and Crisis Communication · Rhetoric and Communication Studies · Social Psychology