Conflict and change

Question 1

Religious fundamentalism

Answer 1

• ISIS have been linked to the rise of digital communications
• Fundamentalist religious groups are now using modern day technologies to gain support, plan and share activities

Question 2

Howard

Answer 2

• Internet plays a key role in Christian fundamentalist groups
• A virtual church built by an online network of Christians was structured around those who embraced a common ideology
• Shows how like-minded individuals created a large web of religious communication
• This developed a new type of religious movement without a central leader
• Shows that new technologies can empower individuals who use them

Question 3

The Taliban’s internet strategy:

Answer 3

• Previously the Taliban had banned photos, movies and internet
• Now their perspective gas changed
• Digital communications have allowed the Taliban to improve its public relation skills
• Taliban bas internet domains and use e-mail to communicate with journalists

Question 4

Sutton, Palen and Shklovski:

Answer 4

• New forms of digital communication are being used for dealing with disasters
• Social media supports informal communications which allows for wide-scale interaction
• Research from Southern California Wildfires suggests that community information resource enabled by social media are taking an important role in the disaster arena

Question 5

Kirkpatrick:

Answer 5

• The facebook effect
• Facebook site has become a catalyst for popular movement in Colombia
• Allowed for the mobilisation of 10 million people in street demonstrations which curbed the violence and kidnapping
• Increased awareness of the role that social media plays in contributing to the course of major social movements

Question 6

Reasons why new forms of digital communication can mobilise change:

Answer 6

• Immediate communication with others which can be used to warm and prepare for events
• Information can reach a large number of people at the same time
• Information can be shared anonymously
• Groups who are unable to speak out can speak to a wide range of people (E.g. Women in Syria)
• News presented about events that may be inaccurate or biased can be actively challenged
• Where political activism is suppressed, people can now speak out against regimes

Question 7

Conflict and change in the middle east:

Answer 7

• Social media has had an effect on social protests in the middle east
• Recent revolutions in the Arab world has shown the significance of social media
• Facebook, weblogs and YouTube had an important role to play in these events
• In Egypt, through the spread of information online, networks were able to establish resistance within the political society
• Despite the weakness of ties, social media emerged as an effective tool to facilitate collective action
• The regimes in Egypt and Syria both use communication tools to protect their interests and counter the political activists