Promoting Dogra Culture Through Social Media: The Role of Influencers in Shaping Youth Perceptions and Societal Behaviour

Abstract

In the digital age, social media influencers are powerful actors shaping culture,
particularly among youth residing in regional areas like the Dogra region of Jammu
and Himachal Pradesh (Sharma, 2019). The purpose of this study is to explore how
influencers are instrumental in promoting, reinterpreting, and disseminating cultural
aspects of Dogra youth in Jammu; the larger Duggar region; and the digital diaspora.
Globalisation has created two effects on regional culture, increasing the visibility of
a regional culture while threatening to homogenize it, selectively represent it, and
commercialize it. The study also explores the difference in the level of commitment
to Dogra culture by youth across different age groups and urban/rural divides
(Sharma, 2019). According to UNESCO (2023), digital technologies have potential for
documenting, transmitting, and revitalising intangible cultural artefacts but there are
concerns with regards to authenticity, concentrated power from large social media
companies, and algorithmic biases in visibility.
The current research is conducted using qualitative thematic analysis of five semistructured
interviews with purposively selected Dogra influencers on Instagram,
YouTube, and Facebook (Braun & Clarke, 2006). The thematic analysis, based on the
six-phase framework developed by Braun and Clarke, revealed that Dogra social
media influencers bridge cultural divides by translating cultural aspects of Dogra
youth for their followers into digital formats that appeal to them (such as using
the Dogri language, Dogra attire, Dogra festivals, Dogra food, Dogra folklore, and
Dogri symbols). The findings indicate that social media influencers have the ability
to enhance cultural continuity amongst their followers, although the effectiveness
of this occurred through ethical digital practices, initiatives aimed at preserving the
Dogri language, and community-based stewardship. This research study contributes
to the body of media studies research by highlighting the role of regional influencers
in negotiating global platform logics to maintain the identity of a localised culture.