Explaining the role and impact of social media in the ‘Arab Spring’ (original) (raw)

The paper examines how the efforts of ordinary people in the Arab "street" to move away with compliance and toleration from authoritarian regimes, also allowed them, once the opportunity arose, to invest in and use social media to change politics "from below". This is not to argue that the social media were "responsible" for the uprisings. The uprisings were made by the people of the Arab countries, but the social media acted as a powerful accelerant facilitating the events in ways that were crucial. In particular, and with emphasis on Egypt, we examine: (a) the socioeconomic dynamics and human insecurity of the region and (b) the role of the social media prior and during the uprisings in empowering "social non-movements" and "leaderless networks", and igniting public mobilization, enabling civic engagement and journalism, as well as collaboration between activists at regional and global level.