155. Name: Yahya Gahnoog Title: States and Revolutionary Communication and the Role of Al Jazeera in the Tunisian Revolution of 2010-2011 Institution: University of Ottawa Country: Canada Date: 2013 Language: English Abstract: The Tunisian revolution captured the popular imagination and inspired similar uprisings in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen and Bahrain. It also inspired Occupy Wall Street protests in the United States and First Nations protests in Canada. This study investigates the role of Al Jazeera in these uprisings focusing on the Tunisian case. It looks at the impact of the channel’s coverage on anti-regime mobilization, especially in the context of state-censored media in Tunisia. Theoretically, the research draws on both the cultural turn in social movement research and the state constructionist theory of revolutions. The methodology employed is case study combined with the survey tool and content analysis. The research sample consists of Al Jazeera’s news program “Al Hasad Al Magharibi” (Maghreb Harvest), which was analyzed along with data collected through two public opinion surveys conducted in Tunisia shortly after the revolution. The findings indicate that Al Jazeera did play a significant role in increasing mobilization against Ben Ali’s regime by providing extensive live coverage of protests. This was facilitated by the censorship of local media, which made Al Jazeera even more popular among Tunisians.
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