Openness and Restraint: Structure, Discourse, and Contention in Saudi Twitter

Noman, Helmi; Faris, Robert; Kelly, John W.

doi:10.2139/ssrn.2700944

Cited by 8 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 8 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Twitter has been particularly popular in the KSA. Despite being monitored and censored (Noman et al 2015), it has recently been reported that Saudis are increasingly using Twitter (Mari 2013). In both 2012 and 2013, Saudi Arabia had, proportionately, the greatest number of active users of Twitter, which is growing more rapidly than anywhere else in the world.…”

Section: Twitter In Ksamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Saudi government has acknowledged how widespread Twitter use is in Saudi with over 90 different official bodies using Twitter to speak directly to citizens and become more transparent (Alasem 2015). Many media organizations, preachers, journalists, politicians, and commentators also use Twitter and communicate to citizens through it (Noman et al 2015). The popularity of this form of social media has allowed women to articulate and protest their treatment, particularly the restriction of movement that arises from their being banned from driving.…”

Section: Twitter In Ksamentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Driving Change on Twitter: A Corpus-Assisted Discourse Analysis of the Twitter Debates on the Saudi Ban on Women Driving

Altoaimy

2018

Social Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper explores how Twitter has been used in the debate on women's right to drive in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The overarching aim of this investigation is to explain how gender roles and the relationship between the genders are navigated in these debates. For Saudi Arabian women, social media platforms such as Twitter provide a unique space to express opinions and highlight areas of concern in a way that they are unable to in any other public sphere. The exploration of the debate on women's right to drive in the KSA was achieved by collecting a body of tweets in Arabic addressing this topic from the last three months of 2015. Following a corpus-assisted discourse studies approach, this paper analyzes arguments by Twitter users discussing the KSA's ban on women drivers, which may have contributed to women being granted the right to drive and also raised awareness of the restrictions imposed on women.

show abstract

Section: Twitter In Ksamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Twitter In Ksamentioning

confidence: 99%

Driving Change on Twitter: A Corpus-Assisted Discourse Analysis of the Twitter Debates on the Saudi Ban on Women Driving

Altoaimy

2018

Social Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It is hard to measure the extent of selfcensorship practice, but a study of the Saudi Twittersphere finds evidence that users temper the expression of sentiments online on certain sensitive issues when they fear retribution from authorities. 141 The Twitter maps therefore should not be viewed as inclusive of all sentiments on political and social issues. Users are expected to adjust their online activities to take risk factors into consideration.…”

Section: Migrating To Social Mediamentioning

confidence: 99%

Structure and Discourse: Mapping the Networked Public Sphere in the Arab Region

et al. 2016

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Although this space is regulated by measures and cyber-criminal laws that sanction illegal activities, such as protesting against the state, insulting Islam, and inciting instability (Noman, Faris, & Kelly, 2015), Saudis still use Twitter to engage in the discourse on political and social issues and to voice their dissatisfaction with public services and laws in Saudi Arabia.…”

Section: List Of Figuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Social media websites provide platforms that allow diverse and unclassifiable materials to circulate, thereby providing a space for many activists to reach the public and express their views (Schanzer & Miller, 2012). However, the content of social media is still monitored, mostly in relation to criminal activities (Noman, Faris, & Kelly, 2015).…”

Section: Social Media In Saudi Arabiamentioning

confidence: 99%

Driving Change, 140 Characters @ a Time: A Corpus-Assisted Discourse Analysis of the Twitter Debates on the Saudi Ban on Women Driving

Altoaimy¹

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This dissertation seeks to examine the ways in which Twitter users debate Saudi Arabia's ban on women driving, with a broader objective of explicating how gender roles and relations are negotiated in that discursive space. In Saudi Arabia, a social media site such as Twitter offers Saudi women an alternative public space when there is no comparable open-media space in which they can communicate and raise their concerns, including their right to drive. To capture part of the ongoing discussion about women driving, a corpus of Arabic tweets that discuss the ban was compiled during October, November and December 2015. Informed by a corpus-assisted discourse studies approach, which combines the discourse-historical approach (Reisigl & Wodak, 2001) and corpus linguistics (Baker, 2006; 2010), I analyze the views and arguments expressed by Twitter users in debating the Saudi ban on women driving. I would like to sincerely thank Princess Noura University for the scholarship which afforded me the opportunity to pursue my research. Additionally, the generous support and services provided by The Saudi Arabian Cultural Bureau has been much appreciated throughout this process. For his unwavering support and guidance, I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Jaffer Sheyholislami. Without his help, advice and insightful comments, this work would not have been possible. Thank you to the advisory committee members who provided valuable feedback throughout the different stages of the research. A special thanks to Dr. Guillaume Gentil for being part of the research process at its all stages and for his invaluable comments to improve the study. Thank you also to Dr. Karim Karim and Dr. Lynne Young for their support at the earlier stages of the research, to Dr. Joshua Greenberg, the internal examiner, for his insightful suggestions and comments, and to Dr. Susan Ehrlich for her thorough examination and valuable feedback as the external examiner. I am also appreciative of Dr. Ellen Cray's instruction and encouragement which motivated me to undertake a PhD and who offered support during the application process. Thank you to my friends Maha Alkhudair, Lina Alhassan, Lisa Armstong and Katherine Eastwood for putting up with my stress and for providing me with constant support and motivation during the writing process. I owe my deepest gratitude to my father and mother for their unconditional love and constant encouragement to pursue my education, and to my sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews and family in-law for providing me with both the confidence and strength v necessary throughout this journey. Finally, I am deeply grateful to my husband whose tremendous patience, encouragement and emotional support have enabled me to thrive and succeed, and to my son who has been by my side through this journey and who brought joy and inspiration to my life.

show abstract

Openness and Restraint: Structure, Discourse, and Contention in Saudi Twitter

Cited by 8 publications

References 8 publications

Driving Change on Twitter: A Corpus-Assisted Discourse Analysis of the Twitter Debates on the Saudi Ban on Women Driving

Driving Change on Twitter: A Corpus-Assisted Discourse Analysis of the Twitter Debates on the Saudi Ban on Women Driving

Structure and Discourse: Mapping the Networked Public Sphere in the Arab Region

Driving Change, 140 Characters @ a Time: A Corpus-Assisted Discourse Analysis of the Twitter Debates on the Saudi Ban on Women Driving

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About