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Over the past few weeks, several reports and publications have suggested that social media is entering a new era. The reason being that social media is increasingly becoming less social. During the early days of social media, millions of users would publish updates from their daily lives. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram were... Continue Reading →
This week I have published a new working paper examining Russia's practice of 'Selfie Diplomacy' during 2020-2021. The Working paper begins by discussing why nostalgia is such a common sentiment in todays' world, arguing that nostalgia is an attempt to force logic onto an incoherent world. Next, the working paper examines the Selfie and asserts... Continue Reading →
Studies have shown that profile pictures on social media serve two main functions. The first is the creation of an online identity. SNS users employ their profile picture to construct an identity and to communicate that identity to their online communities. Through images users can express their beliefs and values and identify the political movements... Continue Reading →
In 2015 Dr. Elad Segev and I examined the Selfie Diplomacy of the US State Department. We defined selfie diplomacy as the use of social media sites to proactively manage a nation’s image. In this sense, selfie diplomacy is akin to nation branding campaigns in which a nation’s image can be created, monitored and evaluated... Continue Reading →
Introduction The Arab World has always had a strenuous relationship with social media. On the one hand, several countries in the Arab World monitor their citizen’s social media activity, ban social media or shut down social media during times of domestic upheaval. Such was the case when the Mubarak regime attempted to block Facebook at... Continue Reading →
Note: This post first appeared on the Global Policy website For over a decade the State Department has relied on social media sites to counter extremist narratives, engage in conversation with foreign publics and shape the global diplomatic agenda. Importantly, the State Department also uses social media to manage America's global image. The need to... Continue Reading →
On January 23, 2017, the Polish Embassy in the US published a YouTube video titled “Words Matter”. The video aims to ensure that journalists and social media users employ the correct term when referring to concentration camps built by Nazi Germany on Polish soil during World War 2. This video serves as a fascinating example... Continue Reading →
Exploring Digital Diplomacy 