Human Rights and Social Movements in the 21st Century

By: Sereen Qurban

2005150
Section: ABG

Prepared for: Mrs. Zainab Nofal

19/20/2020

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract........................................................................................................................................1

Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2

Methodology.........................................................................................................................................4

Findings................................................................................................................................................5

Discussion...........................................................................................................................................10

Conclusion..........................................................................................................................................13

References...........................................................................................................................................14

Appendices.........................................................................................................................................15

Appendix A – Research Proposal...................................................................................................15

Appendix B – Author’s List...........................................................................................................17

Appendix C – Questionnaire..........................................................................................................20

Appendix D - Additional charts and graphs...................................................................................23

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 ABSTRACT

Social movements are defined as an organized effort by a large number of people to bring about
change. The social media age and the 21st century are pivotal years in terms of changing the form that
special interest groups take. Social movements, although effective in the past, face many criticisms in
today’s world. Accordingly, this research aims to determine the advancements made within human
rights and social movements during the 21st century. In order to study the effects of social movements,
two data collection methods were used. First, information was obtained from six academic
publications after 2010. Second, a questionnaire containing 14 questions, in Arabic and English was
sent out. The survey received 254 responses via the social media platforms Snapchat, and WhatsApp.
The collected data were then analyzed using Microsoft Excel. The findings indicated that most people
in Saudi Arabia are knowledgeable regarding movements and think that social media has increased
awareness about human rights and social activism. Concurrently, this emphasizes the magnitude of
social media and how it has aided in the spread of knowledge. However, the respondents either rarely
or never use social media to discuss political issues or movements. The survey also concluded that the
majority stipulate that movements persuade politicians to make changes in policy. This research aids
in bridging the gap of research performed regarding the influence of Western-led movements in the
Middle East and allows for more in-depth future exploration. The limitations of this research were
the lack of reliable data on the global influence of Western-led movements and ideals. In fact, the
neutrality of the participants in many of the survey questions provided limited data to form, or
support any conclusions. Lastly, it is suggested that further research contact an expert in politics, as
well as formulating more relevant questions that contribute to the body of work.

Index terms- Black Lives Matter (BLM), social media, social movements, special interest groups,
Western ideals

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 Introduction

Social movements are not eternal, they have a life cycle. The movement gains momentum, achieves either
successes or failure, and then eventually dissolves and becomes obsolete. As defined by [1], social
movements are an organized effort by a large number of people to bring about or impede social, political, or
cultural change. According to [2], a growing population all around the world are dissatisfied with the way
government is run in their respective countries, which can offer an explanation for the recent rise of social
movements and uprisings in the 21st century and emphasises the need for various movements. Despite
supporting evidence, a central issue when discussing social movements is whether organizations have any
true effect on the political process, while some scholars argue that social movements are not necessary, and
change will happen routinely in government. Regarding the argument, one can consider the era of civil
rights reform in the 1960s, America was segregated, and black citizens were not given rights, and ultimately
this led to rebellion. This decade represented a period when dramatic and largely peaceful change came
about as a result of this movement [3]. [This research will outline prevalent social movements, discuss the
influence of these movements on politics, and examine the effect of Western-led organizations in the Middle
East.]
According to [4], during the 19th century,1820, the women’s suffrage movement started, in its entirety. The
battle for women’s voting was 70 years long and women were granted the right to vote as declared in the
19th amendment during 1920. Afterwards, the civil rights movement, led by Martin Luther King and
Malcom X started in 1948. The 22-year movement helped establish the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights
Act, and with the Fair Housing Act of 1968 the movement ended [5]. Accordingly, 1968 has been long
recognized as a pivotal turning point for all social and human rights movements. Subsequently, the early
1990s saw the Los Angeles riots. The riots were also a racial injustice uprising connected to the brutal
beating of motorist Rodney King by four white policemen [6], which lasted approximately five days.
Twenty-five years later the lingering long-term effects of the riots are still present and the city of Los
Angeles (L.A) has been forever transformed. The early 2010s witnessed many social movements, namely
Black Lives Matter (BLM) which is once more related to the systematic racism of the justice system
towards Black citizens in the United States of America (U.S.A). The trend started on social media following
the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2013 [7], and the organization quickly gained momentum to become a
quintessential example of social media mobilizing movements. Currently, the Black Lives Matter movement
stands as one of the largest movements in history, as mentioned by [7]. The protests took place daily in all
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50 states in the U.S.A and in over 20 countries. Today, social media has become a news platform for sharing
countless eyewitness accounts of police brutality, racism, and has provided individuals with a space to fill in
the gaps of mainstream media.

The question of whether movements have any concrete effect on law and policy is the main issue of many
discussions regarding social movements. In various special interest groups such as the civil rights
movement, a direct correlation exists that can be drawn between an event and a law passed. For example,
the March on Washington, was a unition to establish job equality for all; thus, a direct law was signed in less
than a year law prohibiting all racial discrimination in the workplace [3]. Conversely, in other special
interest groups, some of which had an extensive and long timeline, no direct evidence could support that the
argument that changes in policy were accelerated by the movements. The social effects of Western ideals on
the Arab world can be easily seen and understood through social media, in particular the increasing number
of Arab individuals in the younger generations using social media to voice their opinions and spread
knowledge on a given action group, and correspondingly turning to social media as a form of news outlet
[8]. The political effects can be analyzed through recent changes in women’s rights, namely in the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia. Many authors and journalists [9] have argued that recent changes in female guardianship
and the right to drive was a result of pressure from western countries and views of the kingdom.
[This research will classify relevant human rights and social movements in the 21st century, consider the
impact of the movements on politics and policy, and explore the effects of Western ideals and action groups
on the Arab world]. While many studies have observed the influence of movements on the Western world,
few researchers have analysed the effects of Western ideals on Middle Eastern society. This research will
examine this link and how these ideals have impacted the society in the Middle East.
This research will address the following questions:
I. How has social media affected the rise of movements in recent years?
II. What is the impact of movements and protests on the political process?
III. What is the effect of Western-led movements on the Arab world?

3
 Methodology:

Methodology

The aim of this research study is to determine the developments made within human rights and social
movements in the 21st century. Subsequently, the objectives are to identify the most prevalent organizations
in the social media age, to analyze the impacts of movements on the politics and policy, and finally to
examine the influence of Western ideals in the Middle East. The methods of data collection employed were
both qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative approach utilized six academic publications. Furthermore,
the quantitative analysis included a survey on Google Forms that consisted of (14 questions). In order to
increase accuracy and comprehension the survey was available in Arabic and English. The questions were
formatted as follows:
 Seven multiple choice questions
 Four linear/scale questions
 Two Yes/No / I do not know. questions
 One ranking question

Data collection
Two methods were used to gather information for this research. Regarding the qualitative method, six
academic publications were used in the form of an author’s list. The publications were selected from dates
past 2010, on websites such as ResearchGate and Google Scholar. Additionally, the questionnaire was used
to gain data on people’s awareness and opinions on social movements. The participants were selected
randomly from the King Abdul-Aziz community, citizens and residents in Saudi Arabia. Two hundred and
fifty-four participants were surveyed via on social networking sites such as: Snapchat, and WhatsApp. The
sample size was lower than expected as the survey was sent to nearly 500 people. The participants were
largely female and varied in age. Unexpectedly, the respondents were divided on almost all opinion-based
questions. The collected data was then analyzed using Microsoft Excel in bar graphs and pie charts. Overall,
the experience was interesting and rewarding as it provided insight into the beliefs and opinions about social
movements.

4
 Findings

The findings of this research were gathered based on the three main research questions presented in the
introduction. A total of 254 responses were received, the data was collected through a questionnaire. The
figures are displayed in bar graphs and pie charts as shown below in percentages

RQ1: How has social media affected the rise of movements in recent years?
6
16

32

200; 79%

Yes Maybe No I do not know.

Figure-1 - Question 6: Do you believe that social media has made a difference in awareness about human rights and social
movements?

As Figure 1 demonstrates, the majority of participants, seventy-eight percent (78%) agree that social media
has affected awareness regarding human rights and social movements. It is worth noting that just above
twelve percent (12.5%) of the participants reported maybe. This was followed by no with six percent (6%),
and the remaining two percent (2%) selected I do not know.

5
 40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%
Never Rarely Once a month Weekly

Figure 2-Question 8: How often do you use social media to talk about political issues or movements?

Figure 2 demonstrates the frequency at which the participants use social media to voice their opinions on
political issues or movements. The results were highly divided, but the majority of respondents responded
rarely at thirty-seven percent (37%). The second highest percentage was never at thirty-three percent (33%).
Weekly and once a month followed with twenty-eight (28%), and fourteen percent (14%) respectively.

15%

32%

44% 8%

Positive Negative Both I do not know.

Figure 3-Question 10: Does social media have a positive or negative influence on movements?

Figure 3 exhibits the respondents’ opinions on the effects of social media towards movements. As depicted,
forty-four percent (44%) of the participants agree that there is a negative and positive effect. Next, nearly
one in three (33%) responded with positive. Fifteen percent (15%) responded with I do not know and
negative was eight percent (8%).

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 80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
Not knowledgable Somewhat knowledgable Fully knowledgable
Figure 4-Question 4: How would you rate your knowledge of social movements?

Figure 4 represents the participants’ knowledge of social movements, sixty-nine percent (69%) are
somewhat knowledgeable, followed by sixteen percent (16%) are fully knowledgeable. Lastly, fifteen
percent (15%) are not knowledgeable.

RQ2- What is the impact of movements and protests on the political process?

Not persuasive

I do not know.

Neutral

Persuasive

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Figure 5- Question 12: In your opinion, do movements and protests persuade politicians to make any changes in law?

Figure 5 displays the opinion of respondents regarding the question; ‘do movements and protests persuade
politicians to make any changes in law?’. According to the bar graph, most of the participants, forty-four
percent (44%) indicated that movements persuade politicians. The second highest percentage was neutral
with thirty-two percent (32%) of the responses. Finally, I do not know and not persuasive were thirteen
(13%) and eleven percent (11%), respectively.
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 10%

35%

23%

32%

A worthy cause The spread of knowledge and awareness

A cooperative government A strong leader
Figure 6- Question 11: What is the most important element of a successful protest?

Figure 6 depicts the most important element of a successful protest. A worthy cause received the highest
proportion of responses, thirty-five percent (35%). This was followed by, the spread of knowledge of
knowledge and awareness is the most important element at thirty-two (32%). A cooperative government was
nearly a quarter of the responses (22%). Lastly, a strong leader reported 10 percent (10%) of responses.

45%

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%
Yes No Maybe I do not know.
Figure 7-Question 5: Based on your knowledge, do you believe that movements and protests are necessary for change?

Figure 7 portrays the opinions of the respondents towards their beliefs on whether movements are necessary
for change. Maybe, and yes were nearly tied. Maybe led with forty percent of responses (40%), and yes was
thirty-nine percent (39%). Finally, no held sixteen percent (16%) of the answers followed by, I do not know
with five percent (5%).

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RQ3-What is the effect of Western-led movements on the Arab world?

8% 6%

14%

Stongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
43%

28%

Figure 8- Question 13: To what extent do you agree that’ ‘changes made regarding women’s rights in Saudi Arabia were a result
of western influences.’
As seen in Figure 8 forty-three percent (43%) of the participants agree that changes made in Saudi Arabia
regarding women’s rights, were a result of western influence. More than a quarter of respondents (28%)
were neutral. Disagree reported almost fifteen percent (14%). This was followed by strongly disagree with
eight percent (8%), and lastly strongly agree at only six percent (6%).

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Neutral

Agree

Stongly agree

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

Figure 9- Question 14: To what extent do you agree that ‘Western -led movements have a strong effect on the Arab world’?

Figure 9 demonstrates the thoughts of the participants towards the effects of Western-led movements on the
Middle East. A bell-shaped curve can be observed. Neutral represented thirty-nine percent of responses
(39%). Twenty-nine percent (29%) of respondents specified agree, while fifteen percent (15%) disagree
with the statement. Strongly agree and strongly disagree followed with eleven (11%) and six percent (6%)
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respectively.

Discussion

This research examines human rights and social movements in the 21st century, by discussing how social
movements were affected by social media, how they in turn affect politics, and lastly the influence on the
Arab world. Walter Lippmann once stated, “‘Social movements are at once the symptoms and the
instruments of progress. Ignore them and statesmanship is irrelevant; fail to use them and it is weak.’’’ [10],
emphasizing that movements are integral to society and government. On that premise, the survey results
reinstated the importance and effects these movements have had globally. The form of which special interest
groups take has changed drastically and the research will shed new light on the different aspects regarding
movements and protests.

RQ1-How has social media affected the rise of movements in recent years?

While the 21st century witnessed a rise in social movements, an undeniable factor from the rise of social
media platforms, it is important to understand precisely how social media has contributed to the incline.
There are two central figures to note; firstly, in Figure 1 [Fig.1, p.] nearly 70% of participants stated they
were somewhat knowledgeable on social movements, and 16% said are fully knowledgeable, giving a sum
of 86% with knowledge on movements. Secondly, a majority of the participants agree that social media has
affected their awareness about human rights and social movements [Fig.2, p.]. These findings demonstrate
the importance of social media and how it has aided in the spread of knowledge and awareness. This is
especially relevant, as the demographic of the survey was largely from Saudi Arabia and the questions were
to some extent related to movements in the United States. Hence, this clearly illustrates the large and
widespread influence of social media. Social media has become a platform for users to share their
knowledge and opinions positive, or negative about any given organization or topic. According to Pew
Research Centre [11], eight-in-ten Black individuals say social media helps shed light on rarely discussed
issues and spreads knowledge, while the same percentage of white individuals agree that the platforms
distract from important issues. Thus, it can be reasoned that one’s perception and opinion of special interest
groups varies largely from one race to another. In particular, Middle Eastern individuals seem to largely
agree that social media has affected their knowledge and awareness. As a matter of fact, social media is a
double-edged sword in regard to movements; therefore, can have positive as well as catastrophic outcomes.
As shown in Figure 4 [Fig. 4, p.], 44% of the respondents agree that social media has positive and negative
effects. The effects of social media on action groups are very complex, while social platforms can have a
positive impact on the ability of the movements to communicate and organize, it can also prevent cohesion
and a collective goal or purpose of a movement. In relation to the Arab spring in 2011, social media had a
key role in the outreach by using platforms as a form of news source to spread information. Nevertheless, a

10
prevalent issue was the spread of misinformation by both political and radical parties [12]. In conclusion,
social media is a beneficial platform that has helped raise awareness on several kinds of movements,
positive or negative. Thus, from the findings, it can be unanimously established that social media has
influenced knowledge and awareness on social issues internationally.

RQ2-What is the impact of movements and protests on the political process?

The degree of influence of movements on politics and policy has been highly debated and argued. While in
the past a strong influence a strong influence can be observed, recent studies show that emerging constraints
have lowered the effectiveness of movements. Mongiello [13], states that traditional means of protests are
now rendered powerless and have a steadily decreasing effect ton policy. The number of arrests and police
presence at protests has sharply declined by 85% since the 1970s, which shows a lack of interest by
government. As a result of protests exhibiting a lack of willingness to change or listen to public opinion,
they have become weak and ineffective. These findings, however, exhibit an opposing perspective.
According to Figure 6 [Fig. 5, p.], majority (79%) of respondents answered yes or maybe towards the
necessity of movements and protests to make change. Clearly, the survey’s, participants are still hopeful and
maintain that change can come about through movements, even though governments are less concerned in
special interest groups and protests [13]. As shown in Figure 4 [Fig.4, p.], nearly 45% reiterated that
movements and protests persuade politicians to make changes in law. According to Amneta [14], 54
movements from 2001-2009, 70% displayed reasonably high influence on policy and law., This data
indicates that movements have been highly influential as 40 led to an outcome of policy change, which
appears to support the findings [14]. Nonetheless, studies cannot conclusively establish that movements
have been influential. In fact, legislation only gives a direct response to a movement’s main issue in only
10 instances [14]. For these reasons, it cannot be explicitly stated whether movements have had an impact
on politics as there is not enough conclusive evidence to support either side or it remains difficult to
pinpoint the degree to which movements have bearing.

RQ3- What is the effect of Western-led movements on the Arab world?

Western interference in the Middle East is certainly not a new concept. For decades the West has pushed
their own cultural and political ideals on to the Arab World, and recently the cultures are more similar than
ever before. The depletion of Arab heritage in the Middle East has sky-rocketed in the 21st century. As
shown by [Fig.9, p.], when asked to what extent the participants agree that Western led movements have a
strong effect on the Arab World 39% remained neutral, and 28% reported agree. The indifference could be
deciphered by the lack of knowledge or background on the question asked. Dissecting the collective
movements on a case-by-case basis aids in understanding the scope of the influence on the Middle East. The
Black Lives Matter movement (BLM), which caused an eruption of uprising and protests in 2020, garnered
11
support and influenced conversations of a long history against Black individuals in the Middle East. In an
article by Nusrait [16], it was stated that a movement called ‘Arabs for Black Lives’ started in 2020 and
gained widespread support by Arab social media influencers. Furthermore, the publication claimed Tunisia
was the first Arab country to criminalize racial discrimination in 2018, as a result of influence by the start of
BLM in 2016. Subsequently, the United Nations (UN) dubbed he 21st century as the century of women’s
equality [15]. Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms have helped spread feminist movements, namely
MeToo and TimesUp, reigniting the flame to strive towards gender parity globally. According to Figure 8
[Fig.8, p.], participants were asked to what extent do they agree that changes made regarding women’s
rights in Saudi Arabia were a result of Western influences, more than 50% either agree or strongly agree.
Due to remerging interest in women’s equality many Arab countries, more specifically the gulf countries
were under global pressure to reform many laws surrounding women’s right to vote, drive, and work, etc.
Thus, striving to change its’ public image, Saudi Arabia experienced the most drastic reform in the past five
years regarding female guardianship, work equality, and became the last country to allow women to drive.
To exemplify, World Bank ranked Saudi Arabia as a top reformer on women’s rights [17]. The breadth of
the influence the West has had, can be further analysed by the response to these changes. Countless
European and American news sources, articles, and countries congratulated the reform, and it was
highlighted as a major leap towards gender equality by the UN [15]. Accordingly, the widespread influence
of Western-led movements and ideals are evident from by the survey’s results and the case-by-case analyses
performed of prevalent Western movements in the 21st century.

In conclusion, the relationship between movements and changes in policy observed many contradictions and
differences in opinions between the literature review and the survey. When participants were asked about
the necessity of movements and protests to make change in [Fig. 6, p.], a strong majority answered yes or
maybe. It is interesting to note the contrasting differences between sources, while Mongiello [13] supported
the findings, Dewey [12] completely contradicts the survey’s responses and states that movements are
ineffective in the 21st century. The unexpected results lead to the inability to form a conclusive answer on
the influence movements have had on politics. This illustrates the individuals’, as well as the authors’,
divisions in perspectives and beliefs. As the 2020 United States presidential elections come to a close, the
projected winner by Cable News Network (CNN) [18] is Joe Biden, and current President Donald Trump
has polarized in different in opinions regarding movements. The improvements and change of policies in the
United States in the next four years will largely differ depending on who wins the race, and as a result will
greatly influence changes made globally. The research aids in filling in the gap of studies conducted
regarding the influence of Western-led movements in the Middle East. After thorough research, a lack of
reliable data was found on the impact of Western led movements globally. Many of the claims made were
explained by interpolation rather than concrete data. Furthermore, an unexpectedly large percentage of
participants replied neutral on many of the survey questions which were detrimental in creating a solid
12
argument. The indifference may be a result of the questions being unclear or the participants’ lack of
background information. Finally, it would have been helpful to include politicians’ professional opinions on
the effectiveness of movements, and to ask more relevant questions that contribute to the body of work.

Conclusion
Social movements have allowed people to come together and speak on ongoing issues in their respective
countries, and the rise of technology has evidently allowed more people to come together and form special
interest groups This research offered a comprehensive dissection of social movements in the 21st century,
which included outlining the prevalent groups, discussing the effects on politics, and lastly, the influence of
Western ideals on the Middle East. Furthermore, the research concluded that, as shown in [Fig. 2, p.], social
media has aided in the spread of knowledge and increased the number of active action groups. However,
most individuals reported that they either rarely or never use social media to discuss social or political
issues. Also, it was found that while most respondents maintain that social movements are effective in
persuading politicians, the sources could not unanimously support the claim. To illustrate, 80% agree
movements were necessary [Fig. 7, p.], Mongiello et al [13] completely contradicts the survey, and claims
traditional protests are powerless in government. Lastly, the research found a significant influence of
Western led movements on the Middle East by performing a case-by-case analyses. This research aids in
narrowing the gap of knowledge, provides a brief analysis of social movements in the 21st century, and
allows for more in-depth exploration in the future. Overall, there was a lack of suitable data regarding the
influence of Western ideals in the Middle East, as well as globally. Therefore, conclusive arguments to
support the claims could not be made. In brief, the limitations of the research were a lack of relevancy
between the research questions and the survey. For future research, it is recommended to ask more concise
and relevant survey questions that can support the research. As the turbulent 2020 ends, active social
movements need to re-examine the way their respective movements are being conducted and transition into
more effective methods of protest that do not include street protesting.

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 References

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World. Unites States: University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing, 2016.
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2020,” University of Cambridge, Jan. 2020.
[3] L. Peter, The Civil Rights Movement: A Reference Guide. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2019.

[4] Women’s Suffrage, the Nineteenth Amendment, and the Right to Vote, vol. 106, no. 3. Journal of
American History, 2019.
[5] S. Berger and H. Nehring, Eds., The history of social movements in global perspective: A survey, 1st
ed. Basingstoke, England: Palgrave Macmillan, 2017.
[6] P. R. Watts, “Mapping narratives: the 1992 Los Angeles riots as a case study for narrative-based
geovisualization,” J. Cult. Geogr., vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 203–227, 2010.
[7] D. C. Cascante, “Black Lives Matter: Understanding social media and the changing landscape of social
trust,” University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, 2019.
[8] B. Gunter and M. Elareshi, Social Media in the Arab World: Communication and Public Opinion in the
Gulf States. London, England: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 2016.
[9] L. Propst, “Women’s Human Rights in Saudi Arabia and U.S.-Saudi Relations,” Carlow University,
2014.

[10] “Walter Lippmann - Social movements are at once the,” Brainyquote.com. [Online]. Available:
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/walter_lippmann_402010?src=t_social_movements. [Accessed:
21-Nov-2020].
[11] M. Anderson, “Activism in the social media age,” Pewresearch.org, 11-Jul-2018. [Online]. Available:
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Unrest in the Arab Spring. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University, 2012.
[13] M. M. Mongiello, “Powerless in movement: How social movements influence, and fail to influence,
American politics and policy,” Upenn.edu. [Online]. Available:
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Nov-2020].
[14] E. Amenta, N. Caren, E. Chiarello, and Y. Su, “The political consequences of social movements,” Annu.
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[15] “Twenty-first century must be century of women’s equality, secretary-general says in remarks at the
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[16] “Black lives also matter in the Arab World - Atlantic Council,” Atlanticcouncil.org, 12-Jun-2020.
[Online]. Available: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/black-lives-also-matter-in-
the-arab-world/. [Accessed: 21-Nov-2020].
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 https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/32639/9781464815324.pdf?sequence=10.
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Appendices

Appendix A- Research Proposal

RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Student Name: Sereen Qurban Student ID: 2005150
Email: sahmedqurban@stu.kau.edu.sa Section: ABG
Proposed Research Title: Human Rights and Social Movements in the 21st Century

Aim: (This should be clear and concise.)

The aim of this research is to determine the developments made within human rights and social movements in the
21st century.
Objectives (3): (There should be one general objective and two specific objectives.)

 To identify the most prevalent organizations in the social media age (General)
 To analyze the impacts of social movements on the politics and policy (Specific)
 To examine the influence of Western ideals in the Middle East (specific)

Research Questions (3):

(These should be clear and well thought out. Do not ask yes/no questions.)
 How has social media affected the rise of movements in recent years?
 What is the impact of movements and protests on the political process?
 What is the effect of Western-led movements on the Arab world?

Background Information (include a minimum of 4 references): (Provide a brief description of the issue to be
researched and why it is important – Minimum 200 words.)
Social movements are not eternal, they have a life cycle, movements achieve either successes or failures and eventually
dissolves and ceases to exist. Social movements are an organized effort by a large number of people to bring about or
impede social, political, or cultural change [1]. The 21st century experienced a rise in human rights and social
movements: the MeToo, Black Lives Matter, and Time’s Up movement. Within recent years, social media has facilitated
the growth and spread of knowledge regarding human rights. The first occurrence of a social movement can be traced to
ancient Rome and Greece [2]. Narrowing the timeline down, in 1848, the women’s suffrage rights protests started, and
according to [3], the movement concluded with the establishment of women’s voting rights as stated in the 19th
amendment of 1920. After that, during 1968, the 22-year Civil Rights Movement ended. This movement helped
establish many acts which supported Black citizens’ rights in the U.S [2]. In sequence, 1992 the Los Angeles riots
occurred , as described by [4], the series of riots that lasted four days, and connected to the severe beating of African-

15
American motorist Rodney King by four white police officers. Subsequently, in 2013 the ‘Black Lives Matter’
movement was started on social media, and today it is one of the largest organizations thus far in history [5]. A central
issue regarding social movements is whether they generate any true political consequence or will change legislation
routinely created in governments. Some scholars and authors have argued that movements are generally effective and
speed up the rate of changes being made. In contrast, some authors have stated that social movements in general are
ineffective and there is a lack of substantial evidence to prove otherwise. The instigation of the Arab-Spring, defined by
Eltantawy and Wiest [6], as a wave of protests, uprisings, and unrest that spread across Arabic-speaking countries in
North Africa and the Middle East, has left many scholars discussing the effect of Western ideals on the Arab World.
This research will outline prevalent social movements, discuss the influence of movements on politics, and examine the
effect of Western-led organizations in the Middle East.

Proposed Research Design & Strategy: (Provide details and information about your potential participants, data
collection and data analysis methods.)

 Data collection: required data will be collected from six academic publications in the form of a literature review
from publications after the year 2010, and through a survey of ten to 15 questions by using Google Forms.
 Potential participants: the data will be collected from a minimum of 150 participants, from the KAU community,
citizens of KSA, and the broader Middle Eastern regions.
 Data analysis method: data will be analyzed using Microsoft Excel and displayed using varied types of charts and
graphs.

References (6):

[1] [Author removed at request of original publisher], Sociology: Understanding and Changing the Social
World. Unites States: University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing, 2016.
[2] S. Berger and H. Nehring, Eds., The history of social movements in global perspective: A survey, 1st ed.
Basingstoke, England: Palgrave Macmillan, 2017.
[3] “The women’s rights movement, 1848–1920,” House.gov. [Online]. Available:
https://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/WIC/Historical-Essays/No-Lady/Womens-Rights/.
2012.[Accessed: 13-Oct-2020].
[4] P. R. Watts, “Mapping narratives: the 1992 Los Angeles riots as a case study for narrative-based
geovisualization,” J. Cult. Geogr., vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 203–227, 2010.

[5] D. C. Cascante, “Black Lives Matter: Understanding social media and the changing landscape of social
trust,” University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, 2019.
[6] N. Eltantawy and J. B. Wiest, Eds., Social Media in the Egyptian Revolution: Reconsidering Resource
Mobilization Theory, vol. 5. International Journal of Communication, 2011.

Evaluator Comments:

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 Appendix B- Author’s List
Data Collection Method I – Author's List (Literature Review)
Student Name: Sereen Qurban Section: ABG
Student Identification: 2005150
Find six articles about your topic and list the relevant facts from each one.

Title of Research: Human Rights and Social Movements in the 21st Century

Research Question 1: How has social media affected the rise of movements in recent years?

Link: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-22500-5_3#Sec4
1.According to The Influence of Social Media on Social Movements: An Exploratory Conceptual Model-
Carla Danielle Monteiro Soares, et al., 11 August 2015
The main idea: An evaluation on how social media affects the social movements of a country. In summary,
the paper considers many aspects such as the degree of Internet penetration in said countries, the degree of
independence, as well as many other factors that affect the degree of success achieved by a movement.

List facts from the source that support this idea:

1. Fact: Beginning of movements on the Internet is a direct result of dissatisfaction with existing economic
political and socio-economic conditions as well as youth unemployment poverty and inflation.

2. Fact: In regions such as the Middle East, Latin America, Europe, and Africa Since October 2010, social
networking sites represented 24% of all time spent on the Internet which is an increase 35% compared
to 2011.

In conclusion, the paper lacked greatly in terms of quantitative analysis, it relied heavily on claims with
little evidence to support. While it identified the factors which affect the influence of social media on
movements, the research failed to elaborate or give any detail on how this example has contributed to
the respective factors. The research acts as a great starting point for understanding the general scope of
the influence social media has had, it lacks any in depth analysis.

Link: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/07/11/activism-in-the-social-media-age/
2.According to Activism in the Social Media Age - Monica Anderson, et al. July 11, 2018
The main idea: The paper conducts an analysis of activism and the form it takes today. The report
discusses the general trends of the public towards using social media to express political opinions
and in addition, provides an in depth analysis into the Black Lives Matter hashtag and other related
hashtags such as #MAGA (Make America Great Again) and #AllLivesMatter.
List facts from the source that support this idea:

1. Fact: Blacks and whites alike offer mixed assessments of the benefits and costs of activism on social
media. But larger majorities of black Americans say these sites promote important issues or give voice
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 to underrepresented groups.

2. Fact: 42% of American social media users agree that social networking sites are important for finding
like-minded users. This statistic helps demonstrate the importance of social media and how it has aided
in spreading awareness and knowledge.

In conclusion: The research displays a lot of inconsistencies and contradicting statements regarding the
statistics. Many of the same points are mentioned frequently and in multiple instances contradict each
other. The data collected was not displayed in a very clear or organized manner, therefore a lot of
difficulty was found in trying to comprehend it. Conversely to the previous source, this research heavily
focused on quantitative data, using qualitative data only to lend an explanation to the data.

Research Question 2: What is the impact of movements and protests on the political process?

Link:
https://www.miguelangelmartinez.net/IMG/pdf/2010_Amenta_al_2010_ARS_The_Political_Consequences_
of_SM.pdf

3.According to : The Political Consequences of Social Movements- Edwin Amenta, et al. April 20, 2010
The main idea: The research focuses on the United States and democratic parties; it compares the influence
of the largest historical movements. The research also discusses the condition under which movements
matter or make a difference.

List facts from the source that support this idea:

1. Fact: Based on 54 total movements examined ; 70% displayed reasonably high movement influence,
30% of the findings show negligible positive influence of movements: 12, or 22%, exhibit weak
influence, 3 find no influence, and 1 exhibits negative influence.

2. Fact: The effect of social movements on policy depends on the state and its’ party. Democratic
states generally recognize challenging organizations, while republican states tend to hesitate and
take a longer time to respond to uprisings.

In conclusion: The research appears to be overwhelmingly cited and the authors’ perspective is
unclear, as well as focusing heavily on historical movements and fails to study movements relevant
to the year in which it was published. The research is incredibly thorough and challenges the
negative and positive effects, while also discussing ‘how to tell if movements matter?’

Link: https://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4267&context=edissertations
4.According to Powerless in Movement: How Social Movements Influence, And Fail to Influence,
American Politics And Policy - Matthew Mongiello Mongiello, 2016.
The main idea: The focus is from a historical point of view about the influence of movements on
politics. It should be noted that the paper concludes that the effects of movements on politics and
policy has declined since the 1960s and will continue to decline.

List facts from the source that support this idea:

18
 1. Fact: The percentage of protests with police presence and arrests hit a peak in 1970 with almost
95% of all protests involving arrests, and has since declined sharply to only 10%; the statistic
reflects the declining government interest or concern with movements.
2. Fact: Traditional means of protests such as strikes are now rendered powerless in the eyes of
corporations but conversely, new emerging transnational movements and hacktivists (individuals
who hack into government websites or corporations) are seen as more threatening.

In conclusion: The research, while recent, includes many data and statistics that are well outdated
and uses the data to make generalizations that may not reflect the present day. Comparably, the
source listed above by Amneta the study is well-organized and comprehensive.
Research Question 3: What is the effect of Western-led movements on the Arab world?
Link: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/1287981/download

5.According to Women in the Middle East and North Africa: Issues for Congress- Zoe Danon et. al., June,
19,2020
The main idea is the prevalent issues regarding women's rights in the MENA region. The article describes
ways in which the Congress of the United States government has engaged in women’s rights issues which
includes their economic participation, and political participation.

List facts from the source that support this idea:

1. Fact: The United States of America, introduced provisions that would withhold $300 million U.S
dollars of foreign military funding to Egypt until the Government of Egypt appears to take effective
steps to advance democracy and human rights, among other things which includes protecting religious
minorities and the rights of women.

2. Fact: A survey done in August 2019 in selected MENA countries such as Egypt, Iraq and Jordan
concluded that 67% of males believe that they are better leaders than women and should have a greater
say in family decisions making.

In conclusion: a possible weakness that can be observed, is that the research was completely funded by
the American government. Therefore, it cannot be concluded that the research is free from any bias or
partiality. On the whole, the research is in depth, it includes selected MENA specific congressional
actions, as well as including policy issues, legal discrimination, economic participation, and
opportunity.
Link: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/black-lives-also-matter-in-the-arab-world/

6.According to: Black lives also matter in the Arab World- Tuqa Nusairat, June 12, 2020

The main idea: The discussion is about the prevalence of the Black Lives Matter movement in the Middle
East, the influence of social media and how the platforms have contributed to amplifying the voices of not
only Arab ‘influencers’ but also the general public.
List facts from the source that support this idea:

1. Fact: The Arab world largely reacted with shock that police brutality and the heinous actions of the
police would be displayed so proudly in the United States, but then support for the anti-racism protests
followed.

19
2. Fact: Many Prominent Arab-American activists launched a campaign called ‘Arabs for Black Lives’ in
order to eradicate all anti-Blackness and racism from wherever it stems within the Arab community

In conclusion: The article lacked any kind of statistical data and focused rather heavily on the history of
racism in the Arab culture, with not enough focus on the support of the Muslim and Arab community of
the Black Lives Matter movement. The paper contrasts the well-detailed source ‘Women in the Middle
East and North Africa: Issues for Congress’ in its lack of substantial data.

Appendix C- Questionnaire

Hello, my name is Sereen Qurban. I am an engineering student at King Abdul Aziz University. I am
conducting this survey about 'Human Rights and Social Movements in the 21st Century' to collect
information about people’s knowledge on social movements and the effect on governments.
Your responses are confidential and will only be used for this research.
Thank you for your time.

1. Gender
o Male
o Female
2. Age
o 13-18
o 19-29
o 30-45
o Above 45

3. Education level
o Highschool and below
o Undergraduate/bachelor’s
o Masters
o PhD

4. How would you rate your knowledge of social movements?

1 2 3
Not Knowledgeable Somewhat knowledgeable fully knowledgeable

o Fully knowledgeable
o Somewhat knowledgeable
o Not knowledgeable
o Strongly disagree

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5. Based on your knowledge, do you believe that movements and protests are necessary for change?
o Yes
o No
o Maybe
o I do not know.

6. Do you believe that social media has made a difference in awareness about human rights and social
movements?
o Yes
o No
o Maybe
o I do not know

7. Put the prevalent movements in order of importance

1. Black lives matter
2. March for our lives (gun control and school shootings)
3. Women’s march and #MeToo (assault against women)

8. How often do you use social media to talk about political issues or movements?
o Once a month
o Weekly
o Rarely
o Never

9. In your opinion what movement do you believe has had the greatest impact around the world so far
o Black Lives Matter
o MeToo
o Civil rights movement
o Women’s voting rights
o Other: _________

10. Does social media have a positive or negative influence on movements??

o Positive
o Negative
o Both
o I do not know.

11. What is the important element of a successful protest?

o A strong leader
o A worthy cause
o Spread of knowledge and awareness
o A cooperative government

12. In your opinion, do movements and protests persuade politicians to make any changes in law?
21
 o Not persuasive
o Persuasive
o Neutral
o I do not know.

13. To what extent do you agree that’ changes made regarding women’s rights in Saudi Arabia were a
result of western influences.’
o Strongly disagree
o Disagree
o Neutral
o Agree
o Strongly agree

14. To what extent do you agree that’ Western -led movements have a strong effect on the Arab
world.’

1 2 3 4 5
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
disagree

o Strongly agree
o Slightly agree
o Neutral
o Slightly disagree
o Strongly disagree

22
 Appendix D- Additional Charts and Graphs

19%

81%

Female Male
Figure 1- Question 1: Gender

10%
20%

20%

50%

13-18 19-29 30-45 Above 45

Figure 2- Question 2: Age

PhD.

Masters

Highschool and below

Bachelor's/ Undergraduate

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Figure 3- Question 3: Education level

(i)
 50%

45%

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%
First choice Second choice Third choice

Black Lives Matter Women’s march and #MeToo March for our lives
Figure 4- Question 7: Put the prevalent movements in order of importance:

50%

45%

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%
Black Lives Matter Women's voting Civil rights MeToo Other
rights movement

Figure 5- Question 9: In your opinion, what movement do you believe has had the greatest impact around the world so far?

24