Forming the Theoretical Framework of the “Cancel Culture”: Conceptual Roots and Current Interpretations

Abstract

The paper examines and systematizes the most common theoretical approaches to the “cancel culture”, a widely spread mediatized phenomenon in contemporary social life. It focuses on analyzing primarily English-language academic discourse, since there are significantly more scholars examining this phenomenon. In addition to the literature review, the study uses monitoring methods of media publications on the related topic, which allows for revealing tendencies and dynamics of public and academic interest in the analyzed phenomenon. The paper describes the theoretical origins of the “cancel culture”, offers the most stable definitions and interpretations of the “cancel culture” today, and considers the concept of “cancel culture” in the context of the struggle for social justice. The theoretical interpretation of the phenomenon also includes a critical perspective: the “cancel culture” is condemned for its incompatibility with the promoted democratic ideals to the methods used by activists, the abuse of media power, etc. The “cancel culture” is criticized for the practice of lynching, or so-called “digital vigilantism”. Obviously, the “cancel culture” is both a positive and a negative phenomenon, which should be viewed in a comprehensive and in-depth way.