Social Media and the Arab Spring
Abstract
In the early days of December 2010, pundits, analysts, and world leaders alike could not have anticipated the political and social upheaval that was about to unfold. The Arab Spring brought change with such speed and sheer magnitude, that it called into question many of the preconceived notions of both the strength of old-guard regimes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and many contemporary ideas of political scientists. Within a short period, in multiple countries throughout the region, the people overthrew the regime or forced political concessions. Prior to the uprisings, many social movement theories neglected the impact of social media technologies on protest movements, and commonly relegated them to fashions of the younger generation. Analysts saw protests through a framework of physical collective action to achieve a goal, but they neglected to consider the potential impact of the cyber realm was on the process of social mobilization. Early analysis often missed the effect of information spread through the Internet on local anti-establishment movements. Protest organizers used social media to collect and focus grievances against the government, to overcome the inherent hesitancy of individuals to participate in a protest movement. Social media alone did not create the social movements observed in the Arab Spring, but access to interactive media affected the movements narrative and framing, which dictated success or failure of the various civil efforts to force political concessions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 29, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1055010
Entities
People
- Sean N. Blas
Organizations
- Air Command and Staff College