Arab Spring in Morocco: social media and the 20 February movement

Authors

  • Leni Brouwer VU University, The Netherlands
  • Edien Bartels VU University, The Netherlands

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21825/af.v27i2.4886

Abstract

Encouraged by the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, and the Arab Spring, young Moroccans began to organise huge demonstrations across the country demanding more democracy, social justice and anti-corruption measures. The 20 February movement, named after the first demonstration held on that date in 2011, is a good illustration of one of the new social movements characterized by an intense use of technology and their diffuse membership. This article explores how protesters challenge the dominant institutions and norms in society through their struggle and how they try to create new meanings for these institutions, not only by protesting but also by using social media. We argue that using new social media is not only a vehicle for the mobilisation of activists, but also represents a form of new meaning-making for them: they participate, not only in a local sense, but also globally. Their online activities intersect and influence of ine practices and vice versa, creating a continuous interaction which exerts an influence on both worlds. It is precisely this interconnectedness of offline and online worlds that is the decisive force in these movements and creates new meaning-making. Key words: Morocco, Arab Spring, new social movement, social media, meaning-making 

Author Biographies

Leni Brouwer, VU University, The Netherlands

VU University, The Netherlands 

Edien Bartels, VU University, The Netherlands

VU University, The Netherlands 

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Published

2014-08-14

How to Cite

Brouwer, L., & Bartels, E. (2014). Arab Spring in Morocco: social media and the 20 February movement. frika ocus, 27(2). https://doi.org/10.21825/af.v27i2.4886

Issue

Section

Articles