Virtual Democracies

The Arab Spring raises many important questions about modern mass communication; how has social media changed contentious politics? To what extent have Information and Communication Technologies in general and social media specifically contributed to the democratization of the public sphere? Has participation in social networking spaces politicized previously apolitical populations? By assessing key events leading up to the Arab Spring, exploring important developments during the uprisings and debating possible outcomes Leila DeVries argues that social media has not only democratized the public sphere but has also shifted the content of public discourse and the very nature of contentious politics. Focusing on Egypt and Bahrain, two countries with similarly large ICT penetration, extensive social media communities and very vocal cyber activists she examines the reasons why they experienced such different outcomes in the struggle for democracy. Combining analysis of the Arab Spring with theoretical and conceptual discussions on new social movements and activism, new media, the public sphere and democratization this book examines the events of the Arab Spring within the theoretical perspectives necessary to unpack and analyze the protests and situate them within the wider tradition of contentious politics