Books › Twitter and tear gas
Twitter and tear gas
360 pages
An incisive, on-the-ground exploration of how digital tools both empower and complicate modern social movements.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like standing at the intersection of a bustling protest and a quiet sociology classroom. The pace is steady and deliberate, guiding the reader through an incisive analysis of modern, internet-fueled social movements. The mood is urgent yet deeply reflective, grounded in firsthand accounts from Tahrir Square to Gezi Park. It balances the empowering rush of digital mobilization with a sobering look at the fragility of these movements when facing long-term quests for change. The prose is clear and authoritative, seamlessly weaving on-the-ground interviews with sharp political and cultural insights. It is a thought-provoking experience that will deeply satisfy readers looking to understand the complex mechanics of modern activism, authority, and the future of governance.
- Mood
- urgent
- thought-provoking
- grounded
- reflective
- Tone
- analytical
- incisive
- earnest
- insightful
- authoritative
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- the power and peril of technology · collective action and mobilization · the evolution of modern protest · authority and culture · the struggle for long-term change
- The writing
- Clear, incisive, and grounded in firsthand experience, blending academic rigor with vivid on-the-ground reporting.
- The arc
- Moves from the empowering spark of initial mobilization to a sobering reflection on the challenges of sustaining long-term change.
- Who it's for
- Readers fascinated by the intersection of technology, sociology, and political activism who want to understand how modern movements actually work.
Content notes
- political unrest
- police response to protests
About the book
A firsthand account and incisive analysis of modern protest, revealing internet-fueled social movements' greatest strengths and frequent challenges. To understand a thwarted Turkish coup, an anti-Wall Street encampment, and a packed Tahrir Square, we must first comprehend the power and the weaknesses of using new technologies to mobilize large numbers of people. Tufekci explains the nuanced trajectories of modern protests--how they form, how they operate differently from past protests, and why they have difficulty persisting in their long-term quests for change. Tufekci speaks from direct experience, combining on-the-ground interviews with insightful analysis. She describes how the internet helped the Zapatista uprisings in Mexico, the necessity of remote Twitter users to organize medical supplies during Arab Spring, the refusal to use bullhorns in the Occupy Movement that started in New York, and the empowering effect of tear gas in Istanbul's Gezi Park. These details from life inside social movements complete a moving investigation of authority, technology, and culture--and offer essential insights into the future of governance.
Description from Open Library.
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