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Kritičko razmatranje uloge društvenih mreža u 'Arapskom proleću'
A critical consideration of the role of social networks in the Arab spring
Univerzitet u Prištini sa privremenim sedištem u Kosovskoj Mitrovici, Filozofski fakultet, Katedra za sociologiju, Srbija
e-adresa: branislava_kragovic@yahoo.com
Sažetak
U ovom radu sagledaćemo međuodnos medija i društvenih promena, konkretnije, uticaj masovnih medija na iniciranje, pripremu, tok, obim i opravdanje društvenih promena. Predmet razmatranja je talas protesta i pobuna koji je zahvatio zemlje severne Afrike i Bliskog istoka 2010. godine poznat pod nazivom 'Arapsko proleće'. Pokušaćemo da pružimo uvid u ulogu koju su novi mediji, internet i njegova najpopularnija usluga - društvene mreže, odigrali u pokušajima promene sistema u Tunisu, Egiptu, Libiji, Bahreinu, Siriji, Jemenu i još nekim, prevashodno arapskim zemljama. Uobičajeno kvalifikovanje 'Arapskog proleća' kao 'Internet', 'Twitted' ili 'Facebook revolucije' biće kritički preispitano, uz pokušaj da se sagleda i upotreba drugih medija masovnog i interpersonalnog komuniciranja od strane učesnika sukoba. Sagledavanje vrste medija korišćenih tokom 'Proleća', načina njihove upotrebe i sadržine medijski posredovane komunikacije, pruža odgovor i na pitanje karaktera sprovedenih promena.
Abstract
Mass media play a role in social changes by influencing the public opinion during phases of preparation, implementation and justification of performed changes. Social changes in the global age, especially those of greater scope, are hardly imaginable without the role of mass media. Mass media as an instrument of influence over public opinion is used in both cases - when a change goes from 'down' or from 'up'. With regards to the changes initiated by the power holders, the means of impact usually used are classic mass media-newspapers, radio, television, and more often, Internet. However, in cases when the initiators of changes are on lower levels of social hierarchy, the first choice is Internet due to its accessibility and decentralized structure. Internet had demonstrated its influence on social changes earlier, but that influence was especially visible during the 'Arab spring'. The 'Arab spring' is a collective name for a wave of protests and changes which sparked in Tunisia in December 2010 and spilled over to other countries of the northern Africa and Near East. Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, Sudan, Libya, Morocco, Yemen, Algeria are some of them. Due to their prominent role in dissemination of information, the Tunisian episode of the 'Arab spring' is called Facebook revolution or Internet revolution, which clearly indicates which media and social networks had played key role in change of government in Tunisia. Mobile phone, being media of interpersonal communication, have also played significant role in case of Tunisia, the same role mass media had in changes of real-socialist systems. Development of new technologies and their application in field of communication means have revolutionized the communication process. Naturally, television has also played its role in the 'Arab spring'. Bearing in mind that national media services are mostly controlled by the governing elite, the news on rebellion in Tunisia were spread through global media, primarily through Al Jazeera. In conclusion, although media, especially internet with its social networks, played significant role in 'Arab spring', we must not overstate its impact and base our judgement of social changes in the Arab world on the sort of media used during it.
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