THE NEW SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE ARAB SPRING
“The New Social Media and the Arab Spring” was written by Natana J. DeLong-Bas, an American scholar who specializes in Islam history, culture, and politics. DeLong-Bas has claimed that the extremist nature of Wahhabism has been exaggerated and that al-Wahhab authorized jihad only as a self-defense mechanism against military aggression. The scholar examines the use of social media as a tool for promoting and accelerating societal change as a mechanism to push back against oppression by the Egyptian government.
Social Media As A Tool For Change
The Arab people revolted against the authoritarian powers. Reorganization of the power structure made waves in Egypt’s military order, economic, political, and cultural influence with global implications. The revolt continues to raise questions about the youth’s role in regional changing ideology. Ease of networking and organizing created the swift and abrupt nature of the uprisings.
DeLong-Bas examined how social media is becoming an increased factor in the creation of structural change formed by opposing interests, changing ideology, and transformational power exchanges. Many factors contributed to the Arab uprisings of the 2010s including the use of social media and modern technology. A changing demographic in the Middle East accelerated structural change through the use of this new platform. DeLong-Bas presented three main themes in the article: the changing demographic of youth in the Middle East, the use of social media for political activism, and the acceleration of results created by these factors.
DeLong-Bas includes important evidence to support these themes. She gives a brief history of the changing demographic in the Middle East. She lays the foundation for the uprisings by describing how Mohamed Bouazizi protested authoritarian induced humiliation by lighting himself on fire. The growing youth population carried the protest further.
The Youth Bulge
DeLong-Bas states, “Given the “youth bulge” in the Middle East- where between 55 and 70 percent of the population of any given country is under the age of thirty- the fact that social media and modern technology have been used to bring about political change should come as no surprise.” DeLong-Bas argues that newly available opportunities to express frustrations and seek news in a place other than government-controlled sources allowed them to create an alternate collective identity.
Identity Transformation
Protesters were able to transform from the “Lost Generation” susceptible to jihadist influence into the “Miracle Generation” due to their rapid progress in creating structural change. Distinguishing themselves from previous movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood, while demonstrating peaceful dedication, transformed their identity. Their focus was personal freedom, gender equality, economic and secular change, and an end to suppression. By doing this, young Arabs were able to use social media to create meaningful change by a historically oppressive regime.
Empowerment Through Awareness
DeLong-Bas discusses the use of social media for political activism. She notes that “Perhaps the greatest sense of empowerment has come through the ability to use cyberspace as a location for doing what could not otherwise be done in reality: assemble to discuss ideas, concerns, and complaints, and to share frustrations, while also providing the social networking opportunity to unite, strategize, and plan for change.”
Get Carrie Spanton’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
The internet is a place where social restrictions begin to fade. Individuals who would normally not be free to share ideas are able to connect, share their experiences, and organize. Following the introduction of Al-Jazeera in 1996, information became widely available outside of government propaganda sources.
Organizations and individuals became able to express their ideas, goals, and agendas. This created a greater sense of awareness of personal rights, identity, and connectedness with people who think the same way. DeLong-Bas supports her argument by pointing out how Facebook and Twitter created space to promote democracy in Tunisia and Egypt. Social media became the place to organize and unite Arabs with similar views on creating a movement.
Outrage To Activism
The changing demographic of youth in the Middle East, and their use of social media for political activism, accelerated the results of activism during the Arab Spring. DeLong-Bas supports this claim by using the case of Khaled Said, a young businessman beaten to death by police in 2010, as an example of how social media can speed the desired results of a movement. Public outraged inspired a Facebook page turned activist group led by Google executive Wael Ghonim. Ghonim would later become the public face of the Egyptian revolution. DeLong-Bas notes, “As more and more people joined the Facebook page, dissemination of information about planned gatherings, location, and goals began.” Participants were able to gain information in real-time and respond accordingly creating a snowball of action. The more people who join, the more likely even more people will respond to the event. The use of technology by people who have similar experiences and goals can create a catalyst to push an agenda forward into real policy change and action.
Hashtags For Action
DeLong-Bas’s article about the use of social media in relation to the Arab Spring can be compared with other major current events. The hashtag #BlackLivesMatter has become, “an archetypal example of modern protests and political engagement on social media” after the murder of an unarmed black teenager, Trayvon Martin, by policeman George Zimmerman. #BlackLivesMatter has been shared over thirty million times on Twitter with activity surging during new current events.
Outrage over police brutality and racial equality sparked The Black Lives Matter movement. Other movements such as #MeToo have recognized social media’s role in social activism. Americans believe these sites are important tools in accomplishing political goals or sustained movements for social change. The ability to raise awareness and network online create space for change to occur by everyday people.
The Pendulum Effect
The protesters were able to change the public narrative surrounding their discontent. The “Lost Generation” was transformed into the “Miricle Generation.” The issues that created disconnect including authoritarianism, corrupt government control, and abuses of power are not new to local populations. The ability to share ideas and organize in a space outside of physical reality then bring those ideas into real-life action is new. The use of social media and communication technology can create an increased rise in momentum. Likewise, an event may fizzle if there is a lack of interest is found by others.
How world leaders react to the use of social media will have an impact on how the population reacts in turn. As restrictions increase, so does public push back. As technology changes, so does the world.
