A study of the Effects of Social Media on the Arab Spring; Syria case
The Arab Spring refers to the instance that characterized the North Africa and Eastern Europe. I this regard, the countries that border this region was characterized by repressions and war related instances that were targeting the respective governments in the specific countries. The counties covered in the Arab Spring include, Tunisia, Egypt and Sudan when it is related to Africa. On the other hand, the countries that comprise Eastern Europe are the likes of Tehran and Syria. It is referred to as the Arab spring because it center staged in the Arab world over a very short period (Wilson, 2013). In this regard, it should be established that, the media played a significant role in ensuring that the Arab Spring succeeded in whichever endeavors were being perpetuated and advocated for the proponents. The role of social media in the spring of the Arab instance can be attributed to the fact that, the Arab Spring took center stage in the year two thousand and ten. At this time, the most effective method of communication across the globe was through social media. In this case, twitter and Facebook are the hallmarks of this event. In this study, we shall take the instance of Syria that is among the countries that were under the direct impact of the Arab Spring.
The role and purpose behind this study are to come up with a cogent position that brings out the relevance that social media played in the development, ratification and enhancement of wars, repressions and movements that took center of Syria. In this context, Syria is part and parcel of the Arab world. In the event it is established that social media was the most significant favor that culminated to the events that represented the Arab Spring in Arabian countries, chances of the same social media having impacts on Arabian countries years to come is the interest of our study (Rand, 2013). In a nutshell, the subject of this study is to determine the effects that social media as oppose to other forms of media impacted on the Arab Spring.
In essence, this research problem needs to be addressed with research because; it is not easy to come to a conclusion on these matters by simply making vague and fallacious guesses. At the same time, the essence of the research is to ensure that, the Arab world a vast and expansive. For these reasons, the most efficient way of coming to the full appreciation of the effects of social media can be achieved by the way of research.
In this study, the research questions will center on the position occupied by social media in the events and activities that entailed the Arab world. Similarly, the questions will center point on the position held by the fact that, if social media was the most significant method of communication utilized by the individuals that the center staged the social media, what was the role or relevance that the other communication channels offered?
The relevance of the study is to highlight the effects that social media has impacted in the lives of people. Social media impacts heavily on the way people take life to be. In essence, this is a sociological issue and should adequately be canvased should we succumb to uncouth instances that entail the world today. The justification behind the study is to come up with ways that can be used to regulate effects of social media.
In as far as the Arab Spring is concerned; studies had shown that, the Arab spring was orchestrated in the early years of the twenty-first century. In this regard, countries such as Egypt, Syria and Sudan have faced repressions and war oriented situations that can be attributed to this move. In most of these instances, it has been established that the spring was actuated by leadership schemes that were existent in the Arab world. In most cases, the spring, with due regard to the situation in Syria was associated with dissatisfactions that were envisaged by a majority of the people. Political freedom was the major instance that facilitated the massive revolt of the people (HW Wilson Company, 2012). The citizens of Syria were led by breakaway groups that were represented by individuals who were opposed to power that was in phase. In as far as political freedom was concerned, it was established that, the government official was using the powers that are mandated upon their discretion to cause unnecessary disadvantaging effects to the people. As a matter of fact, these instances culminated to war and fight that have in the past, proven to be endless. In appreciation to this, research shows that, the fights have been because the respective governments have been opposed to the demands of the demonstrating groups. In the real sense, the campaigns of the groups were motivated by the existence of social sites such as facebook. In this case, the perpetrators were spread their messages in the form of tweets and status updates. According to Stonebridge research on the effects of social media on Syrian war that erupted in the year two thousand and ten, he states that, the war and conflict were the most diversified form of war that the globe had experienced. In this regard, instead of people taking their grievances to the streets so as to have their demands addressed, most of the significant movements and strategies were facilitated by the position that the social media occupied.
According to Paula, a sociologist, he says that, the combats group that center stages the Arabian revolution was the existence of a communicative tool. Political, social and economic dissatisfactions were expressed by people of different divides into a cheap manner. Individuals are a better position to interact when limits that are associated to resources are reduced to zero.
In this event, the purpose of this research is to come to a cogent position to the effects that social media paused no the Arab spring. In this regard, however, Syria is at the center point of the discussion. The social media made it possible for people to meet and plan on the moves that they could employ in making their plans go through (Rugh, 2012). The reason behind the massive use of social media can be attributed to the fact that, unlike print media and the use of phones that are subject to revelation when deeper investigations are carried out by any investigative department, social media is designed to be an interactive site that has less of parameters that can culminate to an easier revelation of who the persons are. Research shows that, the activities that facilitated the Arab revolution were not legal hence could not take place in an open forum. From the ensuing events in this foregoing, therefore, it is justifiable to state that; social media is the fundamental unit that guided the repressions that were envisaged in the Arab countries. On the other hand, it is true to say that, the position that the social media placed on Arab countries dictates that, social media is the most influencing instance that affects the way the Arab countries exist. In the case it is allowed to be along the position and parameters that it is in, it is plausible that there is nothing much to expect, the same channel will be used to cause problems and havoc in this Arabian countries.
In order to adequately deliver in my desired research, Syria is a country that is still under great impacts from war. For these reasons the methods that shall be employed shall touch on the following spheres;
Sampling refers to a method that takes advantage of a group of individual to come up with data that is needed. Because the Arabian countries under the effect of the revolution are many and remote in location, it may be a little bit difficult to come up with solutions I will take on board a research that will be targeting to dig deeper in all countries that are under the engulfment of the revolution. In this regard, I have decided to use stratified sampling. I will select strata that will effect by research. Among the people that I will use in my research will include, technological analysis. I this regard, my choice for these individuals rest on the fact that they are well vast in instances that keyly relate to the relaying of digital services such face book and twitter. I am further intend to select the technocrats on the basis of localities that they are based. As a matter of fact, some of them are likely to be directly associated to the scums that characterized the Arab Spring.
On the other hand, I further intent to use the method of questionnaires in collecting information. In this case, I will come up with both closed ended questionnaires. At the same time, I will come up with openly ended questions. Due to the largely positions aspects of almost all Arab countries on the sparse population of people, I focus to target only but a few people that shall be relevant in responding to my questionnaires. Some of the questions that i purpose to bring on board include the position that the social media played in the civil wars that engulfed Syria recently. At the same time, I look forward to highlighting the number of people that are closely connected to the social media. However, I will regard the position that most people in the Arab world are poor and lack and adequate education to be able to aptly respond to questions that may be a little bit technical. As a matter of fact, simple questions should be employed so as to capture the real effect that social media brought to the Arab world in as far as the changes that mark this century affected it. On the cones that guide the openly ended Questionnaires, I purpose to allow people to give their views on their take about social media. In the event that the responses are pro social media, the direct of my research will be well defined. In essence, the attraction and belief in social media is one of the hallmarks that center on the possibility or the impossibility of social media having gross effects to the Arab world.
Because it is a sociological issue, I purpose to also make use of interviews as a major substantiating parameter that will give my research a sensible direction. Oral interviews, as well as phone interview, will be used interchangeably (Ashuri, 2010). For those resourceful persons that we may not be in a position to have one on one chat, we can use phone technology in the event we have their numbers. I place my preferences on this research methodology because it is accommodative of all welcoming situations that may arise. By welcoming, I lay my emphasis on the fact that, it is a cheap method of obtaining information. From the fact that the Arab world revolution is at the knowledge of everybody, anyone can be interviewed.
On similar platform surveys are important tools of collecting information over a wide scale. Surveys should be conducted and the results that follow the surveys placed on board for analysis. In order to reach my desired goal, I target to bring to book all instances that my esteemed survey will bring on board. Actual measurements and values should be properly be outlined catching the target of the research question.
Once the data is collected about the above instances, it is crucial to note that, it has to be analyzed. Data analysis should incorporate statistical methods that lay the foundation for analysis various forms and kinds of data. Once I have analyzed the data, I will record it in the most reasonable way that must be regarded.
In summation, my research problem which centers on the effects of social media as seen from the above discussions has revealed the drastic effects that social media pauses on the community. It happened so I the Arabian counties. In this case, Syria was taken as a case study of the same. From the canvassed issue above, it is plausible to note that unless measures are to take into consideration, the position of Arab countries is at a risk.
Annotated Bibliography
Ashuri, F. (2010). Role of Media on Syrian War. New York: I.B.Tauris.
Hw Wilson Company. (2012). The Arab Spring. New York: Hw Wilson Company.
Rand, D. (2013). Roots of the Arab Spring: Contested Authority and Political Change in the Middle East. Chicago: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Rugh, W. (2012). Arab Mass Media: Newspapers, Radio, and Television in Arab Politics. Chicago: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Wilson , G. (2013). The Arab Spring: New Patterns for Democracy and International Law. Chicago: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.
In the case of Ashuri, the Role of media on the position of Syria brings on board the aspects that center stage my study. He further asserts that, the media in the context of social media played a significant role in the outcomes that followed war that erupted.
With regard to the information obtained from the Winston family, background information of my study is well adduced to. In this case, the book provides for the relevant approaches that can be used by any nation to usurp instances that are brought about by the existence of circumventing instances such as war.
The book of Roots of an Arab significantly addresses the historical instances that hall marked the Arabian development. As a result of the impact of his works, am able to adequate come to a conclusion of the possible effects of Arab spring. Among them are the positions that people lost their lives.
Wilson in his book of democracy talks about the need to avoid the instance of deliberating on circumstances that are oriented along unjust motives that are not consistent to democracy. His work is therefore, relevant to the study topic of this proposal.
