The relationship between social networks and citizen participation on the example of the 'Arab spring'
Modern revolutions in the Arab world opened up discussions all over the planet, concerning the role of modern information and communication technologies (ICT) in their initiation, conduct, coordination, etc. Certain authors have gone a step further, almost giving the digital technologies a role of d...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Hercegovina and Institute for Political Studies, Belgrade, Serbia
2013-01-01
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| Series: | Politeia |
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| Online Access: | http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/2232-9641/2013/2232-96411305111V.pdf |
| Summary: | Modern revolutions in the Arab world opened up discussions all over the planet, concerning the role of modern information and communication technologies (ICT) in their initiation, conduct, coordination, etc. Certain authors have gone a step further, almost giving the digital technologies a role of demiurge of the new world in which equal interlocutors in all meridians make decisions on the most important segments of their lives, and if a non-democratic government decides to curb the freedom it is enough to go online and start a revolution with a click of the mouse. The aim of this paper is to look at the cause and effect relationships in the ICT - participation - democracy triangle, and thus to try to determine the value and role of new technologies in social processes. The example of 'Arab Spring' is certainly the most popular one, especially since it raises the question whether revolutions would happen at all if there was no Internet, which means that it can serve as a good case study for this paper. |
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| ISSN: | 2232-9641 2566-2805 |