Blog Authors’ Discursive Approach: Ideology, Inclusivity, and Transnational Mobility

This chapter analyses in-depth interviewsin-depth interviews conducted with prominent Nigeria blog authors. Key questions analysed include: How do Nigerian female bloggers perceive cultural roles in relation to gender inequality? What drives their adoption of specific blogging styles? How do they understand their responsibility towards the majority of Nigerian women who remain offline? Through the interviews, I explore the complex relationship between blogging styles, gender norms, and audience considerations in a patriarchal society. The chapter reveals that blog authors’ gendered identities are deeply tied to their everyday experiences and the cultural contexts of the spaces they inhabit. The transnational mobility of these bloggers plays a significant role in shaping their perspectives on inequality and cultural change. A central argument developed in this chapter is that non-personal blogging styles, such as ‘filter’ and ‘notebook’ formats, are strategic choices. Many blog authors use these styles to manage their public personas which keeps them aligned with the expectations of Nigeria’s patriarchal social structure. This chapter underscores the growing influence of celebrity culture and algorithms in shaping the content that gains prominence online. The focus of blog authors on celebrity news, often driven by algorithmic preferences for clickbait and trending topics, significantly impacts the visibility of marginalised women’s experiences. Finally, the findings emphasise blog authors’ strong reliance on user-generated content, which democratises information flow and highlights the significance of community-driven reporting in places like Nigeria, where digital access is uneven. This blurring of boundaries between online and offline spaces shows how blogs amplify issues affecting offline communities, extending the reach of online activism into areas that might otherwise remain disconnected from such discussions.