Freedom of Information and Political Opportunities during the Arab Spring

This research attempts to show how information availability contributed to the rise of political opportunities during the Arab Spring and consequently led the way to mobilization. More precisely, this paper is an effort to provide an answer to the subsequent question: 'How did political opportunities lead to collective mobilization during the Arab Spring?'. What this paper brings to the literature is the application of the political process model, relative to freedom of information and the media environment, to the study of contention in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. Building a theoretical framework based on the tenets of the political process model, this research \ uncovers the realities behind the uprisings, exploring the different mechanisms and causal pathways that lead to mobilization. The findings suggest three main systems through which political opportunities were seized and collectivized by the masses, subsequently transmuting into collective action, such as (1) dissemination...Show moreThis research attempts to show how information availability contributed to the rise of political opportunities during the Arab Spring and consequently led the way to mobilization. More precisely, this paper is an effort to provide an answer to the subsequent question: 'How did political opportunities lead to collective mobilization during the Arab Spring?'. What this paper brings to the literature is the application of the political process model, relative to freedom of information and the media environment, to the study of contention in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. Building a theoretical framework based on the tenets of the political process model, this research \ uncovers the realities behind the uprisings, exploring the different mechanisms and causal pathways that lead to mobilization. The findings suggest three main systems through which political opportunities were seized and collectivized by the masses, subsequently transmuting into collective action, such as (1) dissemination of dissent, (2) strategic framing, and (3) resource mobilization. Overall, this paper extrapolates that higher levels of freedom in the information environment did lead to more opportunities for collective participation in contentious politics.Show less

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Freedom of Information and Political Opportunities during the Arab Spring