TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2014//
TI  - Social media in the 2011 Egyptian uprising
JO  - British journal of sociology
A1  - Brym, Robert
A1  - Godbout, Melissa
A1  - Hoffbauer, Andreas
A1  - Menard, Gabe
A1  - Zhang, Tony Huiquan
SP  - 266
EP  - 292
VL  - 65
IS  - 2
N2  - This paper uses Gallup poll data to assess two narratives that have crystallized around the 2011 Egyptian uprising: (1) New electronic communications media constituted an important and independent cause of the protests in so far as they enhanced the capacity of demonstrators to extend protest networks, express outrage, organize events, and warn comrades of real-time threats. (2) Net of other factors, new electronic communications media played a relatively minor role in the uprising because they are low-cost, low-risk means of involvement that attract many sympathetic onlookers who are not prepared to engage in high-risk activism. Examining the independent effects of a host of factors associated with high-risk movement activism, the paper concludes that using some new electronic communications media was associated with being a demonstrator. However, grievances, structural availability, and network connections were more important than was the use of new electronic communications media in distinguishing demonstrators from sympathetic onlookers. Thus, although both narratives have some validity, they must both be qualified.<p />
LA  - en
SN  - 0007-1315
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1468-4446.12080
ID  - ref1
ER  -