Collectivindualism and Shadow Players: Palestinian Youth, Social Media, and Hamas’s Communications Strategies

Abstract

This article explores the social and political processes that have made Palestinian social media an important arena for Hamas’s communications strategies and mobilization efforts. I argue that this arena derives its power from being a confluence point of two seemingly opposing forces: the quest of Palestinian youth for social and political alternatives to traditional sources of authority, including Hamas, and the strategy of Hamas to adapt to this trend among Palestinian youth by striving discreetly to frame the online discourse to compensate for the movement’s off-line obstacles while advancing its agenda.