Contesting in Digital Public Spheres: Limits and Possibilities of Grass roots Diplomacy in MENA

Authors : Gökhan Bozbaş

Pages : 717-738

Doi:10.33709/ictimaiyat.1751414

View : 89 | Download : 492

Publication Date : 2025-11-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This study examines “grass‑roots public diplomacy” in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), focusing on how civil actors employ digital tools to craft and circulate counter‑hegemonic narratives that transcend state‑centric diplomacy. Using a qualitative design, it combines an extensive literature review with three in‑depth case studies: the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement; human‑rights and climate activism during Egypt’s COP27 summit; and social‑media campaigns led by Yemeni and Syrian diasporas. Critical discourse and semiotic analyses are enriched by the author’s field experience in Egypt, Sudan, Jordan and Tunisia (2011‑2021). Findings show that hashtags such as #BDS, #FreeAlaa, #YemenCantWait and #SaveAleppo galvanise global opinion, while potent symbols-e.g., Omran Daqneesh’s image-enable emotional mobilisation. Yet state surveillance, censorship and disinformation constrain digital influence. By adapting Gramsci’s hegemony, Habermas’s public sphere and Fraser’s counter‑publics to the digital realm, the study advances multi‑actor diplomacy scholarship. Policy recommendations include capacity‑building for civil organisations, investment in secure digital infrastructure, robust fact‑checking, and broader civil‑society representation in international forums. Limitations -regional scope and data collection constraints- highlight avenues for future research.
Keywords : Kamu Diplomasisi, Dijital Aktivizm, Karşı Hegemonik Söylemler, Sosyal Medya Kampanyaları, Sivil Toplum

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL