The Transnational Effects of Social Media in the Arab Spring. The Cases of Egypt and Tunisia

Bachelor Thesis , 2014 , 37 Pages , Grade: 1,3

Politics - Region: Africa

The goal of this thesis is to contribute to the debate on the impact and influence of social media in the Arab Spring. While numerous studies have addressed individual factors, they generally lack a broad theoretical framework that puts the findings into a compiled perspective. Understanding the dynamics of the Arab uprisings implies a perspective that takes transnational processes into account and is not limited to a case by case assessment. Hence, this thesis will focus on the transnational effects of social media in the Arab Spring, by introducing a diffusion model, displaying the importance of sequence and timing of communication, organization and mobilization.
To begin with, (2) the current state of research focusing on protest politics and social media communication will be examined to understand the context of the broad scholarly debate. Secondly, (3) method and case selection will be briefly outlined. Subsequently, (4) the theoretical framework and relevance of the contagion thesis will be introduced. The cases of Tunisia and Egypt will be examined and assessed in (5), looking at the factors sparking the protests, the process and dynamics of the uprisings themselves, the role of social media, and the immediate political outcomes. Hereafter, (6) the contagion thesis will be tested by compiling the findings of previous studies and introducing the diffusion model, demonstrating the transnational effects of social media. Conclusively, (7) the findings will be summarized and put into perspective with the broad theoretical framework.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Current State of Research
• 2.1 Protest Politics
• 2.1.1 The Traditional Approach
• 2.1.2 Advancement of the Traditional Approach
• 2.1.3 Modern Approaches
• 2.1.4 Rational Choice Theory
• 2.1.5 Resource Mobilization Theory
• 2.1.6 The Political Culture Approach
• 2.2 The New Media
• 2.2.1 Understanding New Media
• 2.2.2 Social Media and Protest
• 3. Method and Case Selection
• 4. Theoretical Foundation
• 5. Case descriptions and assessment
• 5.1 Tunisia
• 5.2 Egypt
• 5.3 Reasons for Protest
• 5.4 The Role of Social Media
• 6. Transnational Effects of Social Media and the Contagion Thesis

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis aims to contribute to the ongoing debate on the role of social media in the Arab Spring by analyzing the transnational effects of social media in the uprisings. It seeks to provide a broader theoretical framework to understand these dynamics and the importance of the sequence and timing of communication, organization, and mobilization. By examining case studies in Tunisia and Egypt, the thesis will investigate the role of social media in sparking protests, facilitating mobilization, and influencing political outcomes.

• The influence of social media in the Arab Spring uprisings
• Transnational effects of social media in fostering protest movements
• The role of social media in communication, organization, and mobilization
• The impact of social media on political outcomes in Tunisia and Egypt
• The application of a diffusion model to explain the spread of protest activity

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 1: Introduction This chapter introduces the research question and provides context for the study by highlighting the role of social media in contemporary politics and the debates surrounding its influence on revolutions and uprisings. The chapter also outlines the key events of the Arab Spring and the importance of understanding the transnational effects of social media.
• Chapter 2: Current State of Research This chapter reviews existing research on protest politics and the new media. It explores various theoretical perspectives on protest, from traditional approaches to more modern theories like rational choice and resource mobilization theory. The chapter also discusses the role of new media and social media in protest, examining the different views and debates surrounding this phenomenon.
• Chapter 3: Method and Case Selection This chapter outlines the methodology used in the study and explains the selection of Tunisia and Egypt as case studies. It provides rationale for the choice of these countries and explains the specific aspects of the Arab Spring that will be examined.
• Chapter 4: Theoretical Foundation This chapter introduces the theoretical framework underpinning the research, focusing on the contagion thesis and its application to the study of social media in the Arab Spring. It explains how the diffusion model can be used to analyze the transnational effects of social media and the role of communication, organization, and mobilization in spreading protest activity across borders.
• Chapter 5: Case Descriptions and Assessment This chapter presents detailed analyses of the Tunisian and Egyptian cases, examining the factors that sparked the protests, the dynamics of the uprisings, the role of social media, and the immediate political outcomes. The chapter aims to understand how social media contributed to the development and success of the protests in each country.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The main keywords and focus topics of this work include social media, Arab Spring, protest politics, transnational effects, contagion thesis, diffusion model, Tunisia, Egypt, communication, organization, mobilization, political outcomes.

• College: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg
• Grade: 1,3
• Author: Björn Schubert (Author)
• Publication Year: 2014
• Pages: 37
• Catalog Number: V303843
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668021952
• ISBN (Book): 9783668021969
• Language: English
• Tags: Arabischer Frühling, Arab Spring, Twitter, Facebook, Social Media, Egypt, Tunisia, Transnational Effects, revolution, Twitter revolution, protest, uprising, democracy, Arab