Chapter on social media published in new book on Iranian Election

Bullets with Butterfly Wings: Tweets, Protest Networks and the Iranian Election

Following the election in Iran, Twitter was used as a means for expression for both individuals in Iran and networks observing the events from around the world. This spawned many articles the ‘Twitter Revolution’ or proclaiming Twitter, “the Medium of the Movement” (Grossman, 2009) but what was the reality behind the hyperbole?

The essay presents analysis based on network mapping to visualise the interactions which occurred between the members of networks using Twitter. Network analysis, contextualised by concepts of Netwar (Arquilla & Ronfeldt, 1996) with previous analysis of network based protest, demonstrate interaction was predominantly characterised by a series of local conversations rather than a one global debate. On this basis the conclusion considers implications for both protestor and state of operating in an environment where high volumes of data have the potential to hamper coordination and limit coherent interaction with a wider audience.

Media, Power and Politics in the Digital Age: The 2009 Presidential Election Uprising in Iran.

Focusing on the Iranian presidential elections of 2009 and ensuing demonstrations in major cities across Iran and world, Media, Power, and Politics in the Digital Age provides a balanced discussion of the role and impact of modern communication technologies, particularly the novel utilization of _small digital media_ vis-^-vis the elections and global media coverage. Written in a non-technical, easy to read, and accessible manner, the volume will appeal to scholars, students, policy makers and print professionals alike. To provide a global overview of media coverage and diverse perspectives on the controversial 2009 presidential election, this book consists of 24 original essays, covering issues from global media coverage to new media-social networking, from the ideological-political dimensions to the cultural facets of the elections. Organized in a cohesive manner, the writing styles and presentation remain varied and richly informative.