Social Media and the Blockade of Qatar
The following presentation analyzes the role of social media as resistance, framed by its use during the boycott of Qatar by its neighbors. Social media has played an increasingly significant role in social activism in the past decade, with technology being used in peaceful protest to coordinate opposition to perceived injustices. The residents and citizens of Qatar used social media to good effect by utilizing the nature of alternative media to create a sense of solidarity during difficult times when Saudi Arabia and her allies attempted to place crippling restrictions on the country. The presentation explores how tribal recognition played a vital role in connecting the people living in Qatar and how attempts at non-violent resistance were largely successful. The disadvantages of online activism were also highlighted, with problems around slacktivism and government and corporate surveillance being evaluated. The presentation is centered around the core themes of peace, violence, and identity, with particular reference to how these link to theories of politics and media during periods of oppression.
Faculty mentor: Prof. Amanda Garrett
CMAP E-portfolio: https://sites.google.com/georgetown.edu/danacmapE-portfolio/home
