Social Media, Polarization, and Reconciliation In The Wet’Suwet’En Coastal Gaslink Conflict

This paper will analyze the social media discussions surrounding the Wet’suwet’en conflicts over pipelines and indigenous rights in the period from 2018 to the present. It will examine social media both from the standpoint of polarization within the Wet’suwet’en community and the opportunities (or “ripeness”) for effective efforts of reconciliation and collaborative governance both within the Wet’suwet’en community and between the community and Canadian political authorities. The polarization claims will be assessed by a general analysis of social media discussions, whereas the ripeness arguments will be based on an assessment of the social media contributions and political activities of the 100 most prominent actors in the Wet’suwet’en community. A network map of these actors will be established based on the work of Crossroads Cultural Resource Management Ltd., a conflict resolution group with twenty years of experience working with community groups, governmental actors, and industry in the Wet’suwet’en territory.