Conflict and change

• Religious fundamentalism: ISIS

  • Fundamentalist religious groups interpret their religious text literally, and want a return to a more traditional way of life
  • They use modern day technology to gain support, plan and share their activities
• Key study: role of DFC in fundamentalist religious groups, Howard:

  • virtual church was built around those who had a common ideology
  • "digital jesus" shows how like-minded individuals create a large web of religious communication online, developing a new religious movement without a central leader
• Key study: Southern california wildfires (Sutton et al)

  • new forms of DFC are becoming used for dealing with disasters. Social media supports informal communication, allowing wide-scale interaction.
  • Wildfires - People were told to spread awareness online, as it would reach the greater public more quickly and efficiently
• Kirkpatrick: The Facebook effect:

  • Facebook site became a catalyst for a popular movement in Colombia, mobilising 10 million people in street demonstrations.
• Reasons why new DFC are able to mobilise change:

  • Immediate communication with others
  • Information can reach a huge number of people simultaneously
  • Information about human rights abuse can be shared anonymously
  • Groups/individuals who cannot speak out or act are able to speak to a wide range of people. EG. women in syria are forbidden to speak out publicly
  • News presented about events that may be inaccurate/biased can be challenged
• Conflict and change in the middle east:

  • in 2011, Social media was brought up in the middle east, with many claiming that facebook, twitter, and youtube had an important role to play in the revolutions taken place
• Egyptian revolution:

  • Through spread of information online, internet activists were able to establish networks of resistance within egyptian political society.
  • Internet activism made political action easier, faster, and universal in Egypt.
• Political activists use digital and online social media as a means of highlighting govt. abuse of their citizens, promoting citizen interaction and participation in reporting events, shaping public opinion, and organising and mobilising people to protest against repression.