Analyzing The Role Of Social Media In Modern Political Revolutions: A Meta-Analysis Of Research From 2010-2017

Abstract

This paper presents a meta-analysis of research conducted between 2010 and 2017 examining the role of social media platforms in facilitating and sustaining modern political revolutions. Following the Arab Spring movements of 2010-2011, a substantial body of academic literature emerged analyzing how digital communication technologies influenced mobilization, information dissemination, and collective action. This review synthesizes findings from 30 empirical studies spanning multiple disciplines including political science, communication studies, and sociology. Our analysis reveals three primary dimensions of social media's revolutionary impact: (1) lowering barriers to participation through reduced coordination costs; (2) circumventing traditional media censorship via decentralized information flows; and (3) facilitating transnational solidarity networks. While acknowledging social media's significant contributions to revolutionary movements, this paper also addresses methodological limitations in existing research and highlights the need for more nuanced understanding of how digital technologies interact with pre-existing social structures, state responses, and regional political contexts. This meta-analysis contributes to the ongoing scholarly debate regarding technological determinism versus social constructivism in understanding contemporary political movements