การสื่อสารผ่านเฟซบุ๊กของมูลนิธิอิสรชนเพื่อต่อรอง อัตลักษณ์ของ “ผู้ใช้ชีวิตในที่สาธารณะ”

Abstract

                   This research aims to study Issarachon Foundation’s commu-nication via Facebook to negotiate identity for “people living in public places” or the homeless, factors affecting Issarachon Foundation’s communication, and attitudes and behavior of Issarachon’s fan page followers. Qualitative research methods were used: content analysis of Issarachon’s Facebook fan page, in-depth interviews of Issarachon’s staff and fan page followers, and non-participant observation of Issarachon’s activities. 
                    The results show that the Foundation negotiates identity for the homeless by explaining the causes of homelessness, the homeless’ ways of living, and solutions for homelessness. These messages are told via Facebook statuses, notes, and sharing of texts, photographs, and video clips. In each status, note, and shared message, the Foundation tells stories of the homeless through four types of characteristics, and conceptualizes the stories’ main idea using hashtags, in hopes that society understands underreported facts about the homeless and accepts that the homeless is equal to others in society. Moreover, factors influencing Issarachon’s communication via Facebook are the staff and volunteers’ backgrounds and experiences, their media, and the Foundation’s economic status.
                     The findings also show that the attitudes of Issarachon’s fan page followers influence their behavioral changes. Those who feel sympathy the homeless tend not to donate money or items to the Foundation, participate the foundation’s volunteering programs, or interact with the homeless directly. However, those who feel empathetic for the homeless tend to help the foundation or interact with homeless directly. One factor that enables the fan page followers to empathize with the homeless is to become a volunteer.