"Undoubtedly, politicians have awoken to the political power of social media and it will be increasingly adopted as a mainstream means of information distribution and communications as voters and young people are becoming more politically active in a number of the jurisdictions surveyed in this book
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. But it is not a wholehearted embrace. On the side of the voters, the interest in the electoral process derives from personal considerations, such as ethnicity and location, rather than the desire to become politically active. On the side of the candidates, the motivating factor behind their social media efforts is the desire to employ more cost effective communication methods that reach all relevant demographics. Still, the paradigm shift has begun, with varying degrees of impact in the region. A similar survey of voting habits and the impact of social media from years from now would almost certainly tell a different story. Judging by the trends outlined in this book, the same applies to potential electoral impact of social media which could be the major driving force of future elections in the region - along with the youth vote as young people realize the importance of social media to the political machines and, accordingly, flex their own fledgling political muscles across the electoral process." (Introduction, page 10-11)
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"By delving into the detailed account of the Tunisian uprising, this article offers an explanation that sets the 2010 uprising apart from its precursors. The 2010 uprising was successful because activists successfully managed to bridge geographical and class divides as well as to converge offline an
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d online activisms. Such connection and convergence were made possible, first, through the availability of dramatic visual evidence that turned a local incident into a spectacle. Second, by successful frame alignment with a master narrative that culturally and politically resonated with the entire population. Third, by activating a hybrid network made of the connective structures to facilitate collective action – among Tunisians who shared collective identities and collective frames – and connective action – among individuals who sought more personalized paths to contribute to the movement through digital media." (Abstract)
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"Considering the lessons learned from US engagement in Iraq and especially Afghanistan, military engagement can only be sustained with the support of local populations. The concept of “winning hearts and minds” has emerged as an essential component of the counterinsurgency-counterterrorism doctr
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ine. Therefore, it is essential to monitor public reaction to any foreign intervention on a constant basis to measure the effectiveness of a given military campaign. ConStrat monitored social media content—in Arabic, French and English—related to the French intervention in Mali and the unfolding of the terrorist attack in southwestern Algeria. The three media environments were diverse both qualitatively and quantitatively." (Introduction)
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"This article studies the 2011 Arab uprisings as social movements for political reform and regime change. Social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter, are perceived to be playing a central role in these events, which have even been described as ‘Facebook’ and ‘Twitter revolutions’. Using
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diffusion theory, this article examines the role of social media and the extent to which they can be credited for the emergence and achievement of the goals of the uprisings. It argues that while social media played important facilitation roles in terms of inter- and intra-group communication as well as information dissemination, mainstream mass media are still highly relevant to the process. However, the success or failure of the uprisings largely depends on domestic factors and broader geopolitical contexts. This article demonstrates that the use of social media in the Arab uprisings has significant implications for diffusion theory in terms of contact and identity among the social movements involved." (Abstract)
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"Der arabische Frühling war nicht nur der Beginn eines gesellschaftlichen und politischen Umwälzungsprozesses in Nordafrika, sondern auch der Startpunkt einer neuen außenpolitischen Ära im Zeichen / Web 2.0. Auch wenn die Bedeutung der Mobiltelefone und sozialen Medien, mit der die Oppositionell
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en die ganze Welt an ihren Aktivitäten in Echtzeit teilhaben ließen, zuweilen überschätzt wird, so ist es doch unumstritten, dass sich für diese Instrumente neue Wege eröffnen, grenzüberschreitend zu kommunizieren. Welche Konsequenzen ergeben sich daraus für die Außenpolitik? Was sind die Chancen und Risiken virtueller Demokratieförderung in autoritären Staaten? Welche Rolle kann der Auslandsrundfunk im Zeitalter / Web 2.0 übernehmen? Wissenschaftler, Journalisten und Social-Media-Aktivisten aus der ganzen Welt nehmen Stellung zu Themen wie Partizipation 2.0, Kriegsführung im Cyberspace und digitale Sicherheitspolitik, journalistische Verantwortung in der digitalen Gesellschaft, soziale Medien in der auswärtigen Kultur- und Bildungspolitik und den Hype um die Facebook-Revolution." (Verlagsbeschreibung)
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"This is a compilation of 13 essays and studies that show the role social networking is playing in political communication in Asia. Each of the 13 chapters describes how various online social communities and networks such as Twitter, Facebook and blogs, are being used as tools in general political c
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ommunication in Asian countries — both in an active and passive way. This book talks about presidents, prime ministers and politicians, and their first steps with Facebook and Twitter, and about the politically motivated bloggers who take personal risks to expose their opinions to a wider audience. On the other hand, 'Social Media and Politics' shows the impact that politics can have on social network users and how social media has become the information source of choice for journalists and voters." (Back cover)
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"This book aims to record political activism on the Internet and "take stock of some of the successes and failures of cyberactivists as they try to beat the various censorship regimes in Asia." The sections of this 664-page book comprise of 'Political Frameworks & New Technology', 'Regulations and C
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ontrol', 'One Party States', 'Alternative Media', 'Civil Society', 'Diaspora Communities', and 'Political Parties'. The book's 18 chapters provide an overview of current trends in democracy related new media research to country-specific case studies. "The common thread running through the book is the organizing of civil society groups at the grassroots level, and how they are influencing certain segments of their respective countries, and even challenging state control and the monopoly of mainstream media." Asian Cyberactivism strives to examine political organising online in Asia even as the technology and the rules change. Activists provide their perspectives on how new media relates to democracy, and showcase examples that could be emulated to further the cause of democracy." (Communication Initiative)
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