From No Box to Drop Box: A Narrative Study of Communicating E-waste Recycling on Social Media

Abstract

This study explored the small stories as a narrative analysis of communication e-waste on social media Instagram. The data of this study is mined from the conversation and interaction between the ewasteRJ team with their follower. ewasteRJ is a Non-Governmental Organization focusing on campaigning, collecting, and recycling e-waste. Using a narrative study analyzing a small story created by E-wasteRJ, this study finds 42 posts campaigning e-waste collecting and recycling by introducing an e- waste drop box and drop zone. The result shows that small stories on ewasteRJ account can distinguish the narrative stance-taking and rescripting among ewasteRJ and followers participating in the conversation. The story of e-waste is represented by a content post by ewasteRJ as a narrative stance concerning e-waste handling. Dropbox as a central campaign and education in e-waste handling is present in every post. Finally, the story of e-waste in social media is not only the story of the communicator experience itself and all participants in online conversation, especially when the story circulates through related hashtags. It enables a new communicator.