Abstract
The Arab Spring started as a consequence of developments in Tunisia and spread to many countries including the Kingdom of Bahrain. Radical groups in those countries took advantage of the social problems and the prevailing instability at the time to encourage and empower individuals to fight for their cause. The concept was propagated by radical movements which used the social media to mobilise the masses against their governments. These radical groups saw these uprisings as an opportunity to achieve their aims. Following the emergence of Arab Spring, Bahrain witnessed a steady rise in the violence incited by the radicals. The groups involved initially acted as a peaceful movement but quickly revealed their radical ideology and used social media platforms as one of their tools to achieve their goals. This research explores how social media created a range of opportunities for established radical groups and also assesses the role of social media in promoting radicalism.
Accordingly, this thesis aims to evaluate the influence of social media in aggravating the rise of radicalism in Bahrain, especially between 2011 and 2016, which led to the emergence of many radical movements.
The thesis also answers questions related to this phenomenon and reviews the theories and literature related to the role social media may have played in spreading radicalism. Besides, it critically assesses the role of international media and radical organisations in destabilising security globally and in Bahrain through social media platforms, examines the impact of social media on public security in Bahrain during 2011-2016, evaluates the steps taken by the Bahrain government to counter the internal and external threats posed by social media to security between 2011 and 2016 and finally measures the impact of de-radicalisation programmes introduced in Bahrain to promote awareness among the Bahraini youth about those who promote radicalism through social media.
The research findings would show the reader that the spread of fake news through social media platforms led to a significant escalation in the Bahrain crisis, resulting in a shift in public opinion and international media perception towards fake news. The thesis bridges a gap in the literature relating to the role of international media and radical organisations in destabilising the security globally as well as in Bahrain through social media platforms. The research findings show that social media platforms affected public security in the Kingdom of Bahrain to a great extent. Radical groups in Bahrain have been responsible for 22 deaths and more than 3,500 injuries among police personnel since 2011 beside the destruction of public property. However, the steps taken by the government have helped in limiting the spread of extremism and controlling the incidence of terrorist crimes. In terms of measuring the success of the de-radicalisation programmes, the findings have shown they were successful in achieving their primary goal of educating and strengthening society against the radical threats coming through social media and in educating the youth on the optimal use of social media.
This study offers evidence and reference material relating to the basic causes which led to the rise in radical activities in Bahrain between 2011 and 2016, and explores the rationale behind the events of Bahrain in 2011 supported by academic theories. It is expected to help policymakers to formulate a map route to counter any potential threats posed by social media misuse, enhance the youth’s awareness about the effect of social media misuse on Bahrain’s security and promote the government’s awareness initiatives and its response to such actions, backed by empirical results of this research. The research puts together new information by way of a thesis, adding a comprehensive evaluation of the events in Bahrain in 2011 supported by academic theories.