Heritage-based tribalism in Big Data ecologies: Deploying origin myths for antagonistic othering

This article presents a conceptual and methodological framework to study heritage-based tribalism in Big Data ecologies by combining approaches from the humanities, social computing sciences. We use such examine how ideas of human origin ancestry are deployed on Twitter for purposes antagonistic ‘othering’. Our goal is equip researchers with theory analytical tools investigating divisive online uses past today’s networked societies. In particular, we apply notions heritage, othering neo-tribalism, both data-intensive qualitative methods case people’s engagements news Cheddar Man’s DNA Twitter. show that uniquely shaped as an assemblage coalescing different forms othering. Those co-occur most frequently ones draw ‘Views Race’, ‘Trust Experts’ ‘Political Leaning’. The framings were influential triggering introduced right- left-leaning newspaper outlets activist websites. conclude heritage-themed communications rely provocative narratives media tend be labelled political not conducive positive change attitudes towards issues racism.