Cyberactivism in Egypt: a new social movement

Sherif Azer

Abstract

The emergence of cyberactivists in Egypt gave rise to a new form of activism. Experiencing and admiring these activists made me wonder how this group which was empowered with only a simple weapon – their keyboards – could cause such a stir in the public opinion and effectively put pressure on the Egyptian government. While moving away from their computers and into the streets of Cairo, Egyptian cyberactivists began to search and monitor “every corner” of the Egyptian society, and they began to call for fundamental changes to the society. Although coming from various backgrounds, their common goal united them, and Egyptian cyberactivists began to create a new social movement, unprecedented in the history of Egypt. This movement refused to accept unjust political and social conditions in the society. Their opinions challenged many taboos of the society, and they exposed many forms of corruption inherent in the current regime. In light of the power and potential of the movement, as well as its key characteristics, the movement of Egyptian cyberactivists arguably constitutes a new social movement as defined by various scholars of sociology. Understanding the movement of Egyptian cyberactivist as a new social movement will likely open the door to further studies of this movement. Such studies will hopefully address some of the questions which will remain unanswered by this paper.

Department

Law Department

Degree Name

MA in International Human Rights Law

Date of Award

6-1-2009

Online Submission Date

May 2013

First Advisor

Sondergaard, Elna

Committee Member 1

Abu-Odeh, Lama

Committee Member 2

Lesch, Ann

Document Type

Thesis

Extent

63 p.

Rights

The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy. The author has granted the American University in Cairo or its agents a non-exclusive license to archive this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study, and to make it accessible, in whole or in part, in all forms of media, now or hereafter known.

IRB

Not necessary for this item

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