Trump Triumphs? During the 2016 Presidential elections, Donald Trump argued that he relied on his Twitter account to bypass the liberal American media and communicate directly with the American public. Having been denied access to the public sphere by newsroom elites, “the Donald” used social media win over the American electorate. Some have asserted that... Continue Reading →
How America Uses Instagram to Indict Iran
Recent weeks have seen tensions between the U.S. and Iran reach fever pitch. While the Trump administration has warned Iran not to commit any acts of provocation, or attack American interests in the region, Iranian officials have vowed to defeat America in any future war. With tensions quickly escalating, the U.S. has decided to withdraw... Continue Reading →
Diplomacy in the Age of Simulacra
The age of Simulacra Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure is known for his theory of signifier and signified. A "signifier" is a verbal reference to a given object, while "signified" is the actual object being referred too. For instance, the word "chair" is the signifier for the object on which individuals sit in an office... Continue Reading →
How the UK & US Are Fighting ISIS Online
Much has been written over the past year about ISIS' use of social media to recruit young Muslims to its ranks. The use of the internet, and social media, in order to recruit members to extremist groups is by no means a new occurrence. A 2008 estimate asserted that the internet was responsible for 80%... Continue Reading →
What can we learn from digital diplomacy?
One of the major questions arising from the study of digital diplomacy deals with its practical application. In other words, what can we really learn from digital diplomacy? In the past, I have conducted several analyses which suggest that MFAs now routinely follow one another on twitter. As such, MFAs may be using social media... Continue Reading →
The ISIS Social Media Myth
What causes an 18 year old boy from France to board a plane to Turkey, cross the border into Syria and join a fanatical terror organization named the Islamic State of whose practices include rape, murder, beheading and the destruction of historical relics that have withstood the decline and fall of numerous empires? According to... Continue Reading →