SPEAKING FROM BEHIND THE VEIL: Khaleeji Women’s Political and Social Participation through Social Media

Abstract

With the infiltration of information technology in Arab households a unique phenomenon has been observed in the recent years. Women have learned that through the use of information technology for participating in social networks they can become socially and politically active while staying within the boundaries of their household. Facebook and Twitter have come out as two of the most often used social networking applications. Through the use of social media Khaleeji women have also succeeded in increasing awareness about their rights, and the need to bring about certain social and political changes. This study employs a qualitative research approach to exploring the research questions. Two data gathering methods are used: a) in-depth personal interviews, and b) sample of social media content. The data is qualitatively analyzed. The method of qualitative analysis is also utilized to answer the research questions. The study has relevance to the fields of mass communication, social change, use of information technology, and social demographics in the GCC region. This study is unique in the sense that for the first time the role of Twitter in bringing about social and political change by Khaleeji women has been explored within the dimensions of academic research.