sarn0%6 Cyearonent i per revs on jal of ‘he vital Mile as, [oer] Eon chi: sil Manin Vanco Managing Esto: Vi Siler (oa) ‘Submision a6 weleome ‘fom scholars any scpine Deadne for ol, es. 1 "3 March 30, 2017, (oa) Mone Absa aa ire. Amann ktonga Atetas Naas Awa ‘anor Ace iam Aouragh Kate Berggren Jonny Bogtond ‘GanrR Burt ines Bune Hels. Campo Shan Ena Nate Gaia Burge Cel hat ia Donates eta ata iy Foto Angel Foner ‘tire Guero Ctoph Canter Diana He Usa Sota Ising Faia 2 cot Hat ha Zamna ro pot Kate ohare Kos Jans Kutscher James Marchant Monenmed 2 Newsy Mire tsvne Zeynep Oguz ipinwwn cyberorientnelartcl dovartcte yberoriet ONLINE JOURNAL OF THE VIRTUAL MIDDLE EAS urrent issue archive Five Questions About Arab Women’s Activism Five Years cyteroneis utshes by After the ‘Arab Spring’ ‘he Area ‘Antnopogeat Aeration ‘Sahar Khamis ‘rade Pecty ot Ate University of Maryland has unvestyn CyberOrient, Vol. 10, Iss. 1, 2016 i tract ‘The Ara wort witnessed unprecedorted waves of roi in 2017, ch have takon the ite wold by suis, andledo many unenpeced cates and ani esata Fe [————] {oar afer ths wave of rvat it bocomas necessary fo examine ts wide aay of feds, ‘specially on cata groups who played a Sriicart rl In he it f those unig. {Sth et yuh and women, This aie edrses number of mpatat pons pati {Arm nomen and ther ur, such a he efecto the trust potica anvenment fn {he Ara ragion on Arab women's movements and erably fo c@ganze the mpac of ‘olaions of human nights andthe caring af mia eosom on hr womens eine ard ‘fine acts: the mpletons ofthe prevaing environment of ragmentaton ard palration in many parts the Arab wel on Arab womens actven, bath lire and ‘nln; ahinking the potertals and tations of "borat and yberominisnn {ems ofenhanang Arab women's empowerment, scan, etd inusion ae wel 35 coming up wih a more inusive and comprehensive approach, which accounts for afrort Estogonies of Arab wamn, when refining the nan of eybefemieisn.” Koywords: social media, Ara Sping,eybeacivism, ponder Five your aga in 201, the whale word alentan umd to the Arab raion, where ‘maseie waves of cizon reat swept acess seve'al Arab counties, tang i Tunisia and reading to Egy. oye Syl, snd Yemen, saing ive trones of lng-ime dat, vie shocking the wor wit a multe of aning outcomes and wrexpected reels. ve ‘oes later pacar obvcus that tho patho demeratzaton n many of he soaled "Ponta Spring cout trom Sacto aaighforsard. Sy sang om a ‘ual ongoing evi war and an snomeus, urprecaderiea humanitaan cies Eye ‘elapsed back orltary rl, ater avetvowing President Mor In 2073 1 what hasbeen Geestond by sore asa iar coup and by thers asa poplar uprsna. ibya sna ‘ata of total nace and anarchy tothe exe ot becoming a lataaes ate, Yemen has ‘nfemal ts and tenons, hich vlray escalated cue to military erverton fom othe {outtes,especal fs power raghbor Saud Aria Batra tecame tne forgaton| ‘eval othe invablrevalution, which none as abou or pay enough aetion 10, ‘marly duet steguarsng tho satel toes of predominantly Sus nelghoorng ‘Gu counties 8 well a5 tn Sagi retest of Westem superpower, espetall Ne ‘Unied States, The only exception te wate’ and oumpy oad lo orcrcy and oor |s Tuna, wrch was rocognaod emationaly by awarding the Nobd Peace Prize to ‘Some of ts pari, hang thi pesca ars loades oation of power, ough electve ‘oalon bling. Ting into acaunt his compiled new picture inthe Arab agen and the fat hat many _actvats who nsigatod and eoonato tose massve potest aled on saa modia and ‘pew medi to act sade plticalanstrmaton, a pheramann common rlaed 02 “erst wien he ie of new moss to savnce a ens wach ik 1 vance offine (Howare 2011), bocaros essential to rvs this proass ahd is potent ‘Se mtatensn he cole of cent Sovlopments and tanstomations ths pal ‘hanging regan Tis e especialy mpoant night of the intial moment roc mad ‘ghar at the oop of tase new waves of seeping rev nthe Arab ward, wich ‘was reed nthe widespread desertion ofthese movements as "Egypt Facebook "Revolution "Tunisias Twrtar Upisng” and "Sas YouTube Upihg” (Khamis and Yash 20719, 2011) It also especialy imgetat nthe cas of Arab women, parca whe payed an Important, contra ad visto len the ntgaton, continuation, and ampfeaon of {han rab Spring movements, Pundrad of thousands of Arab women tought the ‘region, eng in some ofthe man actions, orate ecuns. ke Yemen and [Bata ook to the ste, slorgsce men, cling for an ond to dtatorsp and ‘epronion and darmanding gy and radon (Regach 2912, 2041. 20490; Kris 2013, 2011; Krajosh 2011) In ng 's0, toy woo not caring thameslis to ‘Seretypical gender les, such as rating or supporting men a ther Suge fr ‘roodom, Rater, they assured nor-steretyical geno rls by bing ine Font es of ‘ance sling hel am lve, and exposing themes tothe dangers of ses saul (AiMale eta. 2012; Khar 2019). Here is worth mention that evn hough ‘many women have histvcalyassumod such Font no les no mist of any cone, Sueh sts of womans bravery and hocam have ot necsasaly nade ta maintoam socal (migfoprsoriatons,nboth he Ilerature and tno mci, which prorinately ‘2d content leeayped men as auve and bldn fang danger, and letealyped ‘women at pase Many ofthese women becams len gues and la models, not just fr other waren, ‘bao tllow men eileen aswell Fot example, Tawwael Karan the Yer seit 772 45sarn0%6 tin Peteron ‘Thomas Poet Graoes Pate Bose Re sting Ringsager 'xica Ruane Had Seat nga Gre ace ‘Saran A. Tobin Philp Techrnart ‘August Valenan ‘hesya Vonger bee Waleing sa wn ipinwwncyberorientnelartcle dovartcto cyber orient ‘and jours, who was theft Arab worn to win the Nabe pie, Asma Mahfou, wo as called "the moat brave gin Egypt due to her aly bald og on YouTube ealng oop ogo out and roel on saruary 25%, 2011, and Ayat El Gomi, the 20 yar cd ‘Baran young woman, who was atested duc to puotcly recing a poam apa the King ‘and hein fay of Stain (xhamis 2013; Radecs and Kham 2073), Many ofthese woman engaged ina dual socio-political rug o launch parallel socl ‘an plc! evltiens nhl espace eounie (ALWab ela. 20°2 Kham 204% FRecach 2012: and Radken ana Krams 20") thigh raisng swarenees abuk gone: Spectestuen, such a8 sonal harassment, rape, domastevlesc, ahd womens, \Sedoreprseration in pats ana thet exclusion From te publ sphere In doings, many of tase Arab woman, who became cn gues of eistance, ative, ‘an potest, eed on soca modia to enc! her vam and ogo her messages ‘25085, @ phenomenon commonly refered to as “eoareminism, whic could Be defined {the imovalive ways women aro usng di teenologis o reenginwa tha Ino {Gara 2009, 103), 10 raise awarones aout womens issues, and fo overcome the {halongos eatifontig them. The smorateneas hate cols be sad fo tm or bath he ‘modi and ths messoge smuansouly, mother wor rm the new vehicle ct {Tanamisionncyerspac. as wall as rm new forme of exsession ahd New meted ‘messages and represotations “Tis was epacally evident the case of sma af he women bloggrs, such a8 Tuna _izon sume and blogger, ina Bon Mn, or example, to reported on he rings {alg place tnrougncut he county wa socal mesa, sos her coury had em ‘Tlemlional earespondons ard domestic mesa were iy canoes, but wo {ustonal ecrassad wore sos, demands, and concer through Re lo 35 wel, ‘2 allempl to crea awarenets about ne and oral public appa (Ragkch and ‘crams 201), aretha exarmpie i Egytian blogger, Nawara Nog who in ation to {acting important alia sues, uth a expoing governmental corupin and volstons ‘ot human ngs, trough her popu and itty savas bog, was alo abo loaders Some of the moe senatve, toa accel ues, 2am a sexual heeearet on the sets £2 Cai. By dong tat, she was ale along a nmber of ther atts and bloggers ‘who sampled the caus of fighting sowal harassment ough luncng a number of ‘2u-naramament campaigns, 1o susstly uence the agenda of malveam Egyptian ‘modi, whe fet ogo acl hs thomy issue nan urprocoeted fasion (El [Newawy and Khamis 2013), Therefore, ws oan simply sy Dat thace women tagger, and ‘many aba, wore ale to bose he laboaen th he poli ans socal dom a | ‘eat a splover Int the mansream meaa domar “The tes of theta Ara women ati five yar lt, and beyond, hve fo be osely ‘einvsigated and reneensens to beter understand he police. socal, oar, ard ‘nmurcato factors wrch may beading, or hngeing, ter acts, oth one a ‘nen ths corto, woud be wise fo ask ve importare questions peraing to Ara ‘womens onine and efi active, inthe conan of engong oranges an development ‘the Arab rion “Te frst queston show does te overall turbdent envionment inthe Ara word impact womens movements an the ast ognize vith some does af elecvenase? We {an argue in anworing tis question that wes peltial bulaneo ard upheaval can ‘negatvelyinpct ary movement n gone, le Becoves parla mote tue ard more ‘rossng nthe eaea of minors and marginalized groupe, such ae women wo ro ‘igang paral rgeles smultaraousy. in ther words, beside argaging nthe paca ‘Srugale or eedor and cemocray at has been, andl i tong plac in many par ‘tthe Aap worl, slongede teflon men cena, women ae slo engaging nn ‘ual presting, ongoing, gendeepectesruggle, nse the sug to scat aga and ‘oval gains for themsoles doxpte mary challenges suchas reacbonary soca oes, the ‘ge of plc sam, the imgoston fa top-down, coametlefemisiam, whic any sees {hos in power and bo uneae publ space, which poses the aks of rape, hurtin an ‘onus resent ga fol to eu womens acs and ther wet and pariostion n ‘he pute sphere (hanls 2073). Five years after te upon ofthe ab Sprig ‘movomerts the gains which Arse waren wor able to acniavo inthe pola, cal, and Tegal domain ema vey led, wth the exception of Ture, the oly Aa’ county lich rad a lately sont arson to demoeaization, and wich was able fo sure Some reasonable gaa or women, suc asa spec quota of rpressttion i the Baran, This mars thal rao women poll, eal, and lngalrvalitons st ‘erymuch a werin progres, “The secon relates question is how des tha neessingValatians of hur igh ard the bing of media rossom impact Ara women's acivam, batt online and ofa Hore ‘gan, whl, urdoubtely, suc an atmosphere of midaton lak of ream, ana ‘esticions does nave negative impeatons on ll cizers, bath men ard wornen ake, and ‘Se any potcal er sol mavernant er gcup, so genta Goes have mace agate ‘rpact on radiionalymargral zed gros, suchas worn. paral. Ti ‘apenaly tuo since women Nistorcaly sfered fm multe ayes of nist and ‘ppresin, aed thes bodes cou at wal be lrgetd as ils for sgl and vers ‘rcxorsing eprosson and domination, trough physi latins, suo as arassmet, ‘ape, "wg esing ‘One goo example to usta the impact of thse increasing vations of human ight on ‘Arab women’s acts ste act thal many Aab women ac ether cued that ‘tne anor otne acs oro of art an ster forms o! goverental crckown ‘3nd inimation, or thy iezeatod ha reliance on pseudonyms and anonymous post for {hs same reson The sro however, oul be sido be a double-edged sword fr [rao women ach, many of wnom ound soca media o be an sxcllont window 0 so {ha es ofthe wot, whl Balog Seon byte est he wota silanes (Khas 2019), Thats mainly bora, on one hand, the factor of anonymity culd prov thom lit the needed rtection, nl any from pola sests ara iim, fut als ome ‘soealslgmatzation, sepia in he mos cansewative, radon soceties. auch ae 772sananors ipihwwr cyberorientnelartcl dovartcto yberorient ‘ern and Ubya er ample. Yet, onthe oer hand, this ananynty could decrease thle ity, ocogtion, and cay, by ro allosng thom f take co Toth ation of {ot assoc whi (Radses ana Khamis 2073), te rt maton at gh a ad yb ted ae ior. and bese mtamatona sen th tgnenngetmospher of Meda. Suvellaren, hich now ealended o jbarapacs, wy ary Arad goversments mantoreg Soi mele scm ard engoging mn avanead“joarwer age scien ad ‘epanerts,ndudng acviies euch a acing, hackg, 2nd sabotaging sci’ ecounts {re weston made many foms of “jbractvan and cyber hy fay. Tet ‘tn trating tog dom ots aca: ering 9 ann ‘5s caring ol har gratwots acta, both onli ad fie, whl beg nwo, sch ‘ss mambu othe Stan and balan cpposton mavens for example (ama 2at3) The thd question I how does the prevalag envronment of ragrentatin and Balaton, wich coaractrsing the pt scone many parts of he Arb woe {oday. mac wemensacvam, oath fine and online? Far the ofine par, me can movements in th Arab worl, whion has been a sad reality fo many years. Fort online Dart icimporani to bow nnd te dfsng le af scl medaydapaning onthe Surourding pol enirormert and hs dogre of uy ar slay or dhiston and fragmentation, whe le Gertonsratea nr inare a manent of unty sod unfomty motte by common gol, for okample, dng the Egyptian revlon ot 20°" we ail Eyptans acs the board artod the some degans: "Tha poole wart to ovetvow the ‘opie and “hiharsk mus go, ocal mada canbe vay succeed mreaing tos Coy and ampltyng ie vias of pate. ana they can help by acing ae ext Imobizers, and networng tools, which ean al the process of arsarneton and pave the ‘any for change Hower oncnts moren of sole ora. an replied, nea, By Sep cae so parenan ss anger agornon wand ay ‘he gep between he siferers groupe and nvsase ihe tensions and the disons among them even mor, since every goup wl use socal mega vanes a ffcive weapane 0 _Xtack ther opposents and dferdtherslves, wile refusing to Tate to ter opponents “This could ceralny bo sai to bet inthe roan of Arab wemerts online acs and “Gereminisn "where the prevaling poll sions a ragmentaion reals iereasngly more rognonted and dlamatrealyopposad movements ad groups locally, ‘lanl, aa reer Mary of hese tps have how agen ah a 2a ‘romans efor in ary overdnates manner forthe purpose of achieving sgreart pla ‘Sod acsnomi, ad tga gain: Ono good expla fo doop chiara in the Cayton palical scone flr 2013, which hanperes the ers of womes groups, many of which flected hs highly polazed scene To Jan free together to saves womers esses OF {o pl fonraré a ned agenaa representing Eaypan women aco he board under any {eof Unrele cyaniaton The ry xcpon aan Tuna, we ware” ‘oornaton, and otto to advance women’s eves anf represen ther tare, pally, The fourth quastion show can wa efhink bout he poten and tntatons ot “sporetvm In gonera, and “osoarfornisn in pats, inthe rai of essancing ‘Ato womens ampewarmert. acter, and nile, ight the developments wn ‘ve boon unfaing in tho rgin ocely? In toro pte evirt tt mary [Aro women aca ‘elled or socal media verues. such se Facobook log, and Twtet Iobizatonfuncion refer fo tho seo of socal modi fo neease th cooanaton ets {2d io excand networking an outeach inthe case alingtemaional help ahd ‘Suppo for Syrian women who were rape icin ano ogoes, throug nating he ‘yon aancneaged gous bath atonal array. nn hap ‘uncon eer neoasng acetal avaroness about ess of paras salonce ard ‘ignfeares to women, such aurape, al haasament, domed aleres, and plc rdarepresetatin. This xu tae plac on two loves namely: educating waren thamelves about tha Issues and sou thelr on ght, at wal as edueating sooty at Inge about such aes a what eau be done abou thom. Final the dossmeniaion ‘uncion was lagely cared out tough wemen' leas zen ourass, who wer ale zon, faking advartago of homestay of soil media tols a te wid ouoach lich ensues tht nparant event il get stant coverage en atten, bath at hme ‘35d abroad amis 2073; Radosh and Khamis 2073), Despite these important potenti of sac media, however, is worth nveigeing some {Sgtal dvi betneen te tochralegcal haves and have nts du toa vary of rasans, Sith seca and ocvokeal ares, seanams and rarer contrasts a ‘wo 3s educational and cia Bercy barra of whith aro provaont an widespread i mary parts of he reo wort, bu come mora vite and presaing in ta cae of som ‘segments, suc ae women and ral populations, fr exemple. Thee othe danger of ‘Sinan? and ‘leva. whe retro subaluting words oration, or eubetting posing, teing, and tootg for ding, a well asthe fat tat soll med. no mattor Pow lca hy ayo crt bite rte snes ins Wade on {Mle engagement moverants ara sttuton el Nakawy ard Khamis 2013). oul be 72sarn0%6 ipihwwr cyberorientnelartcle dovartcte cyber orient so-called os-Arab Sping counties’ especialy in terms of har potential mpact on Arab ‘womens onine and ofine sive, “Tho ith andl, quoson' how can we com up witha rors nus and omprenerave apprch, noi acount for aifreteataganee Of eo women, when rethinking tho notion a cyberainin? Ths parca portant ince mast previous ‘snare on this tone focus on carta caegaios of worten mst elta, upost made ‘ass, utan worten, hie excluding women who represent bar sodoreconomie and {eo0rapne segments and oer demographic poles, This “urbar-catnc and ee ‘ere’ apprasan was prevelant ad eviert in both peove media coverage, = wel 28 ‘rove aedomie etanrch Tosy noses fo be revsted an easesead To aesunt fr 9 ‘much broader and mare represantahve umbrala of Arab women acs, especial Wh {ho tinge of activin amang wornenin the daspors and in ox, ae well a8 he [rlterson f nw means of conmmeation nr areas and in ess vantages ban Paighbomceds due to thelr ieeasng sfadabiy and acess a wat asthe grin [Deenomenon of "secondary Intel seat" whereby tee who ar ees gt orate {an dope on others help tam naegate tne Teal of eine caramunicaon (chars 2013; Rasch and Krams 203). This expasion ad exteron of he procs of “artemis o make mor inclusive af a wider ara of Arab women can Pap in ‘eran he undosrable panomanon of Toke wharby can Hed atogsas ‘Felis women are constantly overopresetce, whsthern mainsteam media coverape, ‘esdemi reserch, orn pllcalrepreveration, a he expenge of Much rose agents ‘women, who aro mor aprsantsve of th eapocvesneetes, bit who contny ‘cate ls mecia coverage, less academe atetion, an ees pelical representa, thus projecting arg awed, sowed or accurate depictions of worn ue reales ‘3 ealnoods ara domands nts pat the wold (Khamis 2013; Ragson and Khamis iia, In cancun, in attempting to fins answors to those presing questions moving foward, |S wise areata to bear mind thal he poretved oppotuniis and veal lated io {ho ture of Arab women's ava are dey ts fo he uncrtainos an the Mazass tthe potial tuo of thor respective cous ana the aactons thy wil xe no {tre Tmo uncertainty, slaty. analy which charactors tis elon sing ese ‘umuluous tes, mato ocremalyaficul te char the plfcal ans sol oad area witha the chatengesposea by UarsLonng Lo new ote an shang ld nes. The ‘Sintay cass doubt on tne satus of Arab women, the sallone oF th ass, he ftie ther srugles, a5 well os U' multe forme and vanng outcome of tal Sein, ‘oh anina and fine, ‘One thing remain catsin, however. st Ke nae no turing back on Aa iz cla forchange rotor, and tarstomaton, dospt al the puma and eeturs onthe rad to ‘Semocrary an readom "ight rom, Ia wl be, undoustadly. no tumng back an Are sens eve ation ey rotor anh, dma te caleraes {ovonteg them n ath te pola and socal Jomars at precart.The exact foms, ‘Sapos,tconon sched of At womens orgsng espa nga, ough bath onne and fine active, howovor romans toe lagalyeaen ad wil be etaod ‘ybath he wlohe Arab women tramaoies a Wel 3s mia pica, socal and ‘esoomi factors which wi iat he fae of he own cures smultaneny. ‘Stereotyper an New Media Dak, Qatar: Blots Qatar FountonPalishng Des 208 Rebihngokeriinsm(): Race, pemker ndembodimen!, Women's Sues ‘Ouro San 1138 EL, Mand Kami, 8.2013 Bian Revlon 20 Pale Bling. Cie Engotemet an Citzen Julian New Yt Palgave Mace, Howard PN 211 The Dial Origin of Dictatorship a Demacracnfermation ‘ello an Pole san fn, UK: Onn iver Pes, Khamis, S. 2013 Genego Arb Sing Ab won eualisivis, eben’ and ‘be socioplitia rae. In The Reeds companion to meda and znd C. Care L.Scoe! and L NcLaupli (E9587. Lou: Rolo ‘as SF 201, The Aas ei” pig? Femina Sader STS) 2055 hans. and Vig, K. 201. Cyterictven inte Egan evalu: How civ engage Iipslwrnanimediseitysunaricon6h Aesed Aapat 216 Kunis, Sand Vue K.2018-We ae all Kad Sod The teas a ation of jerome tages uli mblizaton al pening pla change. fara ef rob & Matin Meda Reseach Mand) 11S jes Nach 14200 Patar an Fg Rebel The New Yorker [ipivownwgerer cra 14 Ti ak, jes, Acces At 2016, ‘euomaton ser young Arab waren Peni Meda Sues 145) 1850 ‘Radish, C2012. Umea evoltionses Cytenetvsm an the oleaf vmeaiathe Ant ving nes A Baker tie Pie Pole of Rice Univers, Ipitekeeetie ep peat TP ub yenctivn Amare 01712 pd Accesed ‘Auth 2018, 772sarn0%6 cyber orient Radek C. 201s, Reiagiing Cleopatra: Gedeigebettviam in Eyp. Paper eset at ‘Ge Mideast Sues Assan (MESA) mal enone, Wasingon DC, Dee 14,20 Radek C2015 Bats young woes kept ain loud ps vrentres cn ander 101 Taine juangoronen teeth eon eovarec ViSisler poganmedby:MuananPrata 220, WSN 8042198