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Publication
“Non-aligned” online micro-celebrities and the Syrian networked public sphere: fragmentation and media a-synchronization
Journal Contribution - Journal Article
During the Arab uprising in 2011, new media have been used as effective tools to express dissent and mobilize people. Flattening the transaction costs necessary to organize collective actions, new technologies have introduced innovative forms of political struggle, based on networked individualism and “connective action” (Bennett and Segerber, 2012) rather than on institutions and hierarchical organizations. During the Arab uprisings, the “synchronization” (Alexander and Aouragh, 2014) between old and new media enabled in some cases the emergence of counter- hegemonic narratives capable to create a large consensus towards the ongoing mobilizations. However, the limits of web 2.0 in terms of public sphere dynamics as well as a space to organize collective actions have also emerged.
In this article we will focus in particular on the case of the Syrian networked public sphere. We argue that in Syria the virtual sphere appears since the beginning as a contested space on which pro-democracy activists, differently from other Arab contexts, were not able to impose their narratives. Rather than a connected networked public sphere, a “self-directed mass communication” mode (Castells, 2005) became prevalent resulting in fragmented networks.
In order to describe the dynamics of the fragmented Syrian networked public sphere, we will focus in particular on what we define here as “non-aligned” micro-celebrities. We argue that the Syrian revolt witnessed the emergence of online personas shaping their web identities on individual narratives that worked in opposition to the main collective narratives circulating in the Syrian political scene.
In this sense, the relevance of “non-aligned” micro-celebrities has to be considered as one of the causes and at the same times of the products of the shaping of a networked public sphere characterized by fragmentation and media a-synchronization, rather than coordination and media synchronization.
In this article we will focus in particular on the case of the Syrian networked public sphere. We argue that in Syria the virtual sphere appears since the beginning as a contested space on which pro-democracy activists, differently from other Arab contexts, were not able to impose their narratives. Rather than a connected networked public sphere, a “self-directed mass communication” mode (Castells, 2005) became prevalent resulting in fragmented networks.
In order to describe the dynamics of the fragmented Syrian networked public sphere, we will focus in particular on what we define here as “non-aligned” micro-celebrities. We argue that the Syrian revolt witnessed the emergence of online personas shaping their web identities on individual narratives that worked in opposition to the main collective narratives circulating in the Syrian political scene.
In this sense, the relevance of “non-aligned” micro-celebrities has to be considered as one of the causes and at the same times of the products of the shaping of a networked public sphere characterized by fragmentation and media a-synchronization, rather than coordination and media synchronization.
Journal: Revue CTD
ISSN: 2491-1437
Volume: 2
Pages: 112-121
Publication year:2015
Keywords:Syria, networked public sphere, online micro-celebrities, media synchronisation, social movements, networked individualism
Accessibility:Open