Networked movements and the circle of trust: civil society groups as agents of change in Sudan

ABSTRACT

The Internet and Social Network Sites (SNSs) have created spaces where groups and individuals can communicate, collaborate, and mobilize. These new spaces are important for civic actors, especially in repressive political environments, because they significantly lower costs and remove impediments that may affect collective action. Collective identity is a strong predictor of collective action and mobilization in social movements and civil society groups. This article examines the civil society sector in Sudan via an analysis of the communication patterns and online networks of two organizations. The research investigates how shared grievances among individuals may create a sense of community and collective identity, consequently leading to collective action. The Internet and SNSs serve as facilitators for this collective action.

KEYWORDS:

• Sudan
• civil society groups
• mobilization
• social media

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Maha Bashri is an Associate Professor of Communication at the United Arab Emirates University. Before joining UAEU, Dr. Bashri was an Associate Professor of Communication at Bradley University in Illinois, USA. Her research focuses on media representations of minorities in the West, diaspora studies, and use of the Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in non-Western contexts. Currently she researches the role of media and information literacy on democratic transitions in Africa especially in relation to networked movements (with particular reference to Sudan) and their communicative sphere. [email: [email protected]].