The Role of Hashtags in the Creation of Transnational Cultural Movements

The expansion of digital communication technologies has transformed forms of collective action and social mobilization, fostering the emergence of transnational cultural movements organized through hashtags on social media platforms. This article examines how hashtags function as symbolic and organizational tools for the creation, dissemination, and consolidation of cultural movements beyond national borders. Based on a systematic literature review guided by PRISMA criteria and the analysis of emblematic cases such as #MeToo, #BlackLivesMatter, and #FridaysForFuture, the study explores the semiotic, discursive, and organizational mechanisms that promote global cultural interconnection. The results reveal that hashtags facilitate the dissemination of shared identities, the construction of global narratives, and the aggregation of diverse communities around transnational cultural causes, highlighting their central role in creating interconnected solidarities and shared frameworks of action. Quantitative data on usage frequency and interaction patterns demonstrate significant correlations between hashtag use and the geographic expansion of movement networks. The findings suggest that hashtags not only act as thematic markers but also serve as vehicles of collective agency, encouraging active participation of individuals across different regions. The discussion addresses theoretical implications for digital activism and global culture and provides methodological recommendations for future research combining quantitative network analysis with qualitative discourse analysis in transnational contexts.