CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2022
| Author | Shaimardanov, Zhanibek |
|---|---|
| Title | The Role of the Internet and Social Media as The Driving Force of Civic Mobilization: The Case of Post-soviet Information Autocracies |
| Summary | Hybrid regimes have been developing into information autocracies, with a focus on propaganda and manipulation. In such regimes access to information is essential to resist the regime and establish an opposition movement. This thesis attempts to analyze information autocracies and the nature of mobilization under such regimes. Mobilization is explained as a three-step process, with technology playing role in each of them. Using the theory of information autocracy as well as the collective action problem framework the study positions itself in the field of information autocracies and develops this relatively novel notion further. Evaluating secondary data from surveys and interviews as well as existing literature, the paper applies the findings to three hybrid regimes: Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. The research concludes that access to technology increases the protest turnout, hence there is a direct relationship between technology and mobilization rates in hybrid regimes. Although protesters pose a threat to the regime, most of the time series of protests do not lead to a substantial change in government actions, let alone regime change. The study suggests that other actions besides protests are necessary, including external pressure by other states. Nevertheless, the mobilization process in information autocracies has a positive impact on political culture and shall be studied further. |
| Supervisor | LaRoche, Christopher |
| Department | International Relations MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2022/shaimardanov_zhan.pdf |
Visit the CEU Library.
© 2007-2021, Central European University