Get ready with me: the peacebuilding publics of TikTok

This paper explores the emergence of ‘peacebuilding publics' by examining how peacebuilding is enacted through intimate, creative, and connective practices on TikTok. It asks: how are peacebuilding publics formed through TikTok? The paper analyses platformative, performative, and discursive elements of ten TikTok accounts by young female Muslim leaders, aged 18-30, from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Philippines. Representing diverse ethno-religious identities, these leaders are actively engaged in peacebuilding efforts. The analysis identifies three key practices that constitute peacebuilding publics on TikTok: (1) embodied, (2) place-based, and (3) dialogic. These practices enable young female Muslim content creators in BARMM to shape a digital space that amplifies peacebuilding, enhances visibility for marginalised communities, and challenges traditional peace practices. The findings show how TikTok’s peacebuilding publics connect to institutional politics, broadening our understanding of contemporary public spheres.