Knowledge and Change Dialogue: Rumble in cyberspace: perspectives on civic engagement through the Internet

Newsflash 1st of October

Today’s session on civic engagement through the Internet touched on three important concepts for the Dialogue: knowledge, communication and social change. Around these concepts, presentations sparked off a debate on the use of Internet for today’s civil society movement.

The facilitator of the discussion, starts off with a controversial statement: ‘We are sad persons. Individualization has developed to such an extent that we sit alone in front of our computer. In a sense, has the Internet not limited social mobilization?’

 

A researcher of the West Asia knowledge pogramme couldn’t disagree more. In the case of Syria, he explains, social mobilization is much safer through the Internet. ‘Knowledge can be shared more freely and easily online. Hackers have been able to protest on official government websites, while it is unthinkable that protest would take place on the streets’.

 

The co-ordinator of Hivos’ Digital Natives research programme, dismisses the divide between online and offline activism. According to her, the young generation does not see the difference as they were brought up in a digital era. ‘The older generation thinks about how Internet works, while youngsters focus on what it can do for them’, she explains. For this reason, she sees young activists as the new change agents.

 

The Iranian activist, on her term, does see the difference between online and offline activism. As an Iranian women’s rights activist living in exile, the only way to link up with her movement is through the Internet. ‘I find solidarity online that couldn’t be found offline. When I wake up, I hug my laptop because it is my portal to Iran’.