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Social Media and Political Activism from Samizdat to the Arab Spring

Social Media and Political Activism from Samizdat to the Arab Spring. Professor Eric Freedman 3 October 2011 Klaipeda University freedma5@msu.edu. The Political Power of Communications Technologies.

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Social Media and Political Activism from Samizdat to the Arab Spring

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  1. Social Media and Political Activism from Samizdat to the Arab Spring Professor Eric Freedman 3 October 2011 Klaipeda University freedma5@msu.edu

  2. The Political Power of Communications Technologies “Why should any man be allowed to buy a printing press and disseminate pernicious opinions calculated to embarrass the government?” Vladimir Lenin (1920) “Print is the sharpest and the strongest weapon of our party.” Josef Stalin (1923)

  3. Lecture Outline • Samizdat in the Soviet era • Modern regime efforts to suppress cyberdissent • Arab Spring 2011 • Implications & unresolved issues for the future

  4. Glossary • Repressitarian:Both authoritarian in governance and repressive in human rights practices • Samizdat: Illegal. underground publications during Soviet times • ICT: Information and communication technology • Stakeholder: A person, group of institution affected by a decision or policy • NGO: Nongovernmental organization

  5. , Samizdat in the Soviet Era самиздат Laisves Sauklys Vytis • "I myself create it,edit it,censor it,publish it,distribute it, and ...get imprisoned for it.” • Vladimir S

  6. “Recent developments demonstrate how blogging and social media tools may fulfill a crucial role for non- journalists and oppositional groups that journalism serves in more democratic societies.” Bowe, Freedman & Blom, 2011

  7. Theory: UNESCO Model for Digital Rights—Part 1

  8. Theory: UNESCO Model for Digital Rights-Part 2

  9. Reality: Prisoner of Free Expression in an Electronic World

  10. Scenes from the Arab Spring

  11. Discussion Points • Is grassroots-generated political change always good, and for whom? • Can communications technology be misused, and who determines that? • What happens when established power institutions themselves wield new communications technologies? • Are there important things that the “old,” “traditional” or “legacy” media do—or at least did—better than online and social media do—at least so far?

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