ABSTRACT

This chapter describes central concepts and defines "social media" and "community" from a linguistic perspective. It explains why the concept of community matters in public communication, followed by a different linguistic approach to investigating language use and interaction on social media and an overview of the state of research. The chapter examines practical and theoretical controversies within the field and outlines future research perspectives. Social media can potentially change the relationship between political authority, mass media, and the public, and help the general public to collaborate and express opinions or concerns. Social media platforms are used for organizing and implementing collective activities, promoting a sense of community and collective identity among groups, establishing connections with different social movements, and publicizing causes to gain support from the global community. Migration, geographical, and social mobility result in people moving more often and living far away from their places of origin, where they used to meet their communities.