Case Study Proposal

           My proposed case study will focus on the use of the social media platform that works as a virtual photo album, Instagram. On this site, I will investigate how the followers of Tenzin Gyatso, the 14^th and current Dalai Lama, react to the teaching of this Buddhist Monk. I will also examine how the followers of this religious figure express beliefs that align with those of Buddhism.

           The internet is an amazing resource for not only gaining usable information, but for also connecting with other people throughout our world. Sharing my experiences with others has always been more favorable to me than doing things alone, so the social media sites, Instagram quick caught my attention and became one of my favorite website that I use.  This site not only allows you take and post pictures and videos of your experiences for your personal viewing purposes, but it also allows others to search for specific subjects using hash-tags, view, and comment on the things you have shared,  while forming virtual connections and relationships and expressing one’s likes, dislikes, and beliefs.

            Anything that can be posted and found on this site more than likely has been, including fashion styles, tattoo ideas, do-it-yourself crafts, and funny memes. Religion is also a very prominent topic that is hash-tagged on this interactive user generated site. Many individuals that I follow post biblical scripture quotes and images of Christian religious symbols daily in a display of their beliefs.
   
          For this case study I want to learn more about a religion whose practices are unfamiliar to me, but that I know some-what about. The Dalai Lama and his followers will work well as the focus of this case study, because it will allow me to learn more about another religion, Buddhism through the interactions of a religious leader and his followers.

           I would like to look at how Buddhist and non-Buddhist followers of this religious leader, who is known of by many, react to, respond to, and exemplify his teachings and portrayal of the Buddhist Religion. I will do this by examining posts with hash-tags relating to Tenzin Gyatso and his teachings, tracking like and reading feedback comments by members of Instagram.

 Social media platform that will be used in case study: http://instagram.com