Skip to main content

Social Media Revolutions: All Hype or New Reality?

Author(s): Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination; Faris, David; Ghanim, Ahmed; Libert, Barry; Mayer, Michael; et al

Download
To refer to this page use: http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/pr1553k
Abstract: New forms of social media have begun to play an increasingly significant role in human interaction. This phenomenon, often referred to as the “social media revolution,” has greatly impacted political dynamics on a global scale. By enabling users to express themselves publicly in ways previously unavailable to them, social media such as Facebook and Twitter have bequeathed new power to the individual. The Arab Spring of 2011 showed that the scale of social media outreach and its “real time,” interactive elements add new and complicated dimensions to political movements and international diplomacy, and there remain many unknowns about the potential outcomes of social media connections. To better understand these emerging dynamics, the Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination convened a workshop and panel discussion focusing on social media in April 2011. In the resulting report, participants analyze the impact of digital tools, social networking, and the Internet in the coordination of democratic movements against authoritarian states, with a specific focus on the Middle East and North Africa.
Publication Date: Apr-2011
Keywords: Social Media
Networking
Facebook
Twitter
Arab Spring
Democracy
Diplomacy
Type of Material: Other
Series/Report no.: Issue Report;5



Items in OAR@Princeton are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.