Social media and uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. (c2015)

Abstract

The year 2010 witnessed a major breakthrough in the Arab world, demonstrations unexpectedly filled the streets of Tunisia followed by Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Libya and Syria. In fact, many other countries of the Middle East and North Africa were also affected by this domino effect. Citizens of the Arab world were no longer afraid to speak up and stand up for their rights which had long been taken away from them by their rulers. This thesis seeks to examine a new paradigm of information and sourcing which introduced new actors and tools to the political arena. The main goal of this study is to examine the role of social media in the Arab Spring specifically in the revolutions of Tunisia and Egypt. Two case studies will be analyzed in depth: Tunisia and Egypt, which were the first two countries to have started a revolution and have succeeded in overthrowing their rulers. The main findings this thesis seeks to demonstrate are that social media did not cause the Arab spring, however it provided accelerating and limitless tools that helped the people plan the revolutions, connect and share the truth with the outside world, and it also allowed normal citizens to become journalists.