Forty-four years ago, Terry Fox captured the hearts of the nation by running across Canada on one leg to raise funds for cancer research. Although the beloved Canadian is no longer here to personally continue his Marathon of Hope, his legacy lives on through annual memorial runs and, according to Brock\u2019s Derek Foster, through Instagram.<\/p>\n
Fox, who succumbed to his battle with cancer in 1981, is at the centre of Foster\u2019s recent research involving public memory, social media and well-being.<\/p>\n
As part of his ongoing research into how the celebrated Canadian is remembered in popular culture, the Brock Associate Professor in the Department of Communication, Popular Culture and Film analyzed hundreds of Instagram posts created by people who visited Fox memorial sites.<\/p>\n
In the lead-up to this year\u2019s Terry Fox Run, held annually in September, Foster says he wanted to see how user-generated content creates and shapes the public memory of Fox compared to the Terry Fox Foundation\u2019s official messaging about runs and fundraising.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe public memory of Terry Fox is very much forward looking, in the sense that what he was pursuing in 1980 is still a collective endeavour for people motivated by finding a cure for cancer,\u201d says Foster. \u201cSo, the memory isn\u2019t just tied to the past through a lens of nostalgia, but rather, connected to our present and also a dream of a future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Foster\u2019s review showed about one third of his sample made clear references not only to emotional experiences, such as visitors being moved to tears, but also to what he calls \u201cself-transcendent emotions\u201d such as awe and gratitude.<\/p>\n
He also notes the posts don\u2019t appear to be driven by a desire for engagement, as social media posts often are. In fact, only a small number of people liked or commented on the posts he reviewed. Foster says it\u2019s significant that \u201cthe hashtag isn\u2019t driving the discourse\u201d because it shows a level of sincerity from the creators.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we see is the vernacular memory \u2014 everyday people as they are deciding to create, produce and circulate these thoughts and experiences on their own, not organized in any way,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Foster also says the way individuals are using social media to share their personal experiences with Fox memorials is an excellent case study on the legacies of public figures.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost public memory involves looking back to build a sense of community or reinforce certain values that we can then use as we move forward,\u201d says Foster. \u201cThat is far more explicit in the public memory around Terry Fox than other figures \u2014 the aim is not just to maintain him in memory but to continue to strive for the goal that he wasn\u2019t able to reach.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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