Social Media and Social Movement: Contemporary Online Activism in Asia

PRIYAM BASU THAKUR& SANGITA DE
Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, India

Abstract
In contemporary era social media and mass movement are playing a crucial role in global public sphere. Statistics shows that in the countries of Asian continent active social media penetration is flourishing with times. The paper will attempt to conduct an explanatory research by using analysis of Twitter Revolution (Iran), Umbrella Revolution (Hong Kong), Sunflower Protest (Taiwan), Shah Bag Movement (Bangladesh), Delhi Gang Rape Agitation (India) and Bersih Movement (Malaysia). In the context of theoretical framework, the paper will attempt to discuss public opinion of Walter Lippmann (1922), the structural transformations of the public sphere by Jurgen Habermas (1964), social identity model of de individuation effects (SIDE) by Riecher, Spears & Postmes (1995), mediapolis of Roger Silverstone (2007) etc. The paper will primarily try to identify the role of social media in mobilizing social movement of Asian region.

Keywords: Social media, social movement, on-line activism, collective action, computer mediated communication, mobilization

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Priyam Basu Thakur & Sangita De both are pursuing their PhD in separate fields of communication at Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, India.