The (f)Utility of Social Media: Preliminary Thoughts

By Andrew Geistlinger 

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The last few years has seen a drastic upsurge in the international discourse regarding the place of social media. The Arab Spring has been called the 'social media revolution' by some pundits and scholars. While this is rather crass because the Arab Spring(s) are first and foremost Arab revolutions and the social media aspect is just a small part among many that seems to be getting a rather fair amount of  the attention. 

The social media craze has emerged once again with the KONY 2012 movement (if movement is the right word, I'm more inclined to call it a fad) and the power of social media is once again being analyzed as part of a radical change in the international discourse. I am not planning on weighing in on the benefits/problems with KONY 2012 and Invisible Children; rather, I am interested in the phenomenon of social media itself. Tentatively, I hope to explore the possibility of harmful effects that social media can have in international politics. I also hope to elucidate on the limits of social media and how it should not be viewed as part of a revolutionary change in how international relations work. (I'm also going to try to keep it semi-short since I do have a tendency to ramble)

Aristotle described democracy as the rule of the many over the few (paraphrasing of course, he considered it the rule of the poor in Politics, but the Occupy movement maintains that the many and the poor are the same thing). This of course leads to the tyranny of the majority which we all can agree is not a good thing; nobody wants to be on the receiving end of a majority decision that is not in their favour. This phenomenon can be seen to be emerging with the social media craze. The KONY movement is based around the idea that if enough people become knowledgeable (if they undergo a 'consciousness raising' in good ol' Marxist terminology) they will be able to pressure their governments to take action. While this may seem noble on the surface, the undercurrents of it are less pleasant. It could turn into a slippery slope whereby the populace at large could potentially pressure a government to take action in the international system that is unwise and quite dangerous. 

The debate about KONY is bringing this to the forefront. Invisible Children is for military intervention which would be: (1) very difficult to do; (2) imprudent because it violates sovereign borders and; (3) unwise in the KONY situation because he uses child soldiers and military intervention would inevitably lead to the deaths of children. 

In the Arab Spring situation Libya was doable (as well as within the national interest of France, Britain, and the US so they probably would have gone in regardless of how many people tweeted about it). Syria is something else though. Setting aside the argument about the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), which was touched on in another blog post, it would be much more difficult and much more dangerous given that Syria is in a geo-political powder-keg. The possible power of social media (and the way that its effects are being theorized) could inject instability into the international system at the cost of governments being able to coherently follow foreign policy objectives.

           

With the possible detrimental effects of social media out of the way it is time to move onto its limits. Personally, I am a critic of social media in most of its forms (yes I have a Facebook account but I do not post too much and it is a nice way to keep in touch with overseas friends) and am critical about its implications in the international system.

Libya and Egypt saw a surge of tweets (and blog posts, and fb shares, and whatever forms of social media there are. Also, it was curious to see the marked absence of Tunisia compared to the other North African nations since that is where the Arab Spring started) at the beginning but as the NATO intervention of Libya dragged on social media attention began to wane. Syria went through this phenomenon even faster. I watched an Al Jazeera program before school one morning and they showed the statistics about how long it took for Syria to be tweeted less about than Hollywood personalities, it was an embarrassingly short time (from what I recall it was around about a month, possibly a little bit less, do not quote me on that though – I will do a search to find out though). It just shows that the West has the attention span of gnats and unless something happens quickly and decisively we will quickly go back to our lives (there are some good psychological studies about this phenomenon and I suggest if you have the time looking at some of them). 

I predict that KONY 2012 will suffer a similar fate. The longer this drags on and the less that is done about (less as in nothing spectacular will happen to nab him but there might be some diplomatic processes that begin between nations concerned) the more people will turn their attention to more immediate things, whether that is another cause in the Global South or what George Clooney is doing. The problem with social media is that it does not lead to action no matter how many people like a post, share a video, or check what is trending on twitter.

So I am at 900 words and would like to go on, to further delve into these musings on social media but if I did I'd slide down my own slick slope and end up writing a research paper. With that in mind I am going to cut it off there and try to make some coherent concluding comments and sum up my most basic thoughts on social media's place in the international system. 

First, it could create the impetus or a foundation from which the majority could overtake events and force the hand of government, or at least cause the hand to shift slightly in a direction that is not prudent. The entire point of the KONY 2012 movement is to get people, and governments, to take action, which is a complicated process and rather divisive idea. Second, social media has its limits. The 'social media revolution' in the Arab world was not a 'social media revolution’; it was an Arab Revolution against despotic rule. While social media played a part it would have happened at some point regardless and revolutions have historically had media outlets (the Mexican Revolution had pamphlets and La Cucaracha, which was a musical way of spreading the revolutionary method). Furthermore, the West has a less than long attention span and if we do not get our way quickly then our interest wanes precipitously. 

These musings are not definitive statements; the are exactly that 'musings'. I do think, however, that we need to critically think about the discourse surrounding social media and its place in the international political system. We should be wary about what it can do and cannot do and the fact that it is unregulated. Of course this is just my view and I am far from a fan of bottom-up democracy (I am a self-described realist with post-modern flair) and believe that the social media craze will not have the optimists' projected effects. This is all open for debate though and anything criticisms are welcome; they will help me sharpen my arguments and expand my ideas with regard to this phenomenon    

Students in Action Win Marks Transition from Community College to World Class University

By Kit Sauder

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The recent students union election was the first truly contested election in the previous five years. Pitting the old guard of Students4Students against a newly minted slate, Students in Action. The differences between the two organizations were marked and in this writer’s opinion signify not just long overdue change in the running of student affairs at UBCO but a shift in the culture of this campus.

When UBCO was founded in 2005, it was not a newly minted institution, but instead had inherited the legacy of Okanagan University College. OUC, although by no means a disreputable institution was for all intents and purposes a teaching college, what in the United States is referred to as Community College. This institution transformed, overnight it seems, into a campus of the province’s most prestigious university. And although we managed to nab many of the choice professors from the campus before the transition, and bring in many new ones through aggressive headhunting the transformation of this college into a university worthy of global recognition took time.

UBCO has under the leadership of Stephen Toope and Doug Owram embarked on a campaign to focus on undergraduate education of the highest level. The slow building of a university infrastructure has grown almost as rapidly as the influx of students and the erection of buildings. One of the most significant differences between the initial years at UBCO and the current cadre of students is that we are far more diverse than ever before, no longer is this a campus that represents the largely white, largely Christian identity of rural BC.

This diversity is what was represented by Students in Action, their slate of 22 members boasted nationalities from 18 countries. This cultural diversity, and the tenacity that it takes for a student to travel overseas was showcased by members of the campaign. One of the significant factors in activating voting on this campus was the involvement of this slate in so many campus activities through campus life, student societies, and charity work.

The Students in Action win wasn’t just a throwing out of S4S, who by and large were generally Caucasian and raised in Canada, but also about the student body recognizing itself in its leadership. Although many have bemoaned the fact that the parties might not be as good, and Students in Action will be lucky to find a corporate affiliation as awesome as Red Bull, the real story to take away from this win, is that having grown as a campus we are now recognizing leadership that reflects our now incredibly diverse culture.

For those S4S supporters who are bemoaning the loss of ‘your’ team, remember all of the half hearted appeals to community that you espoused, and the scattered and largely ineffective ‘political action’ campaigns you initiated to the begrudging recognition of most of campus. This change, is a change to a more worldly, more representative group of students for this campus. If we’re lucky, they’ll respect the good in the legacy you left them, and build a better future for this campus.

With hesitation, I look forward to seeing what a group of students that truly represents the diversity of this campus can do and hope that everyone here realizes that this should be praised as a transition point from what we were into what we can become.

A Place of Mind? On The Student Union Election 2012

The last few years have witnessed extremely quiet student elections. It has been refreshing, after eight years, to see an election with two strong slates running against each other. More so, to see students actually lining up to vote demonstrates a student demographic with opinions on the future of their Students Union.

Here are a few of our thoughts on the election. Read it, comment, criticise, and hold the Students Union accountable. We can promise that we will keep an eye on them, as well.

UBCO students were, for the first time in a very long time, excited about the campaigns. Many were, and still are, tired of the problems that have been associated with the current Student’s Union and want change, while others were interested in maintaining and strengthening the status quo. The school has been plastered in posters, overrun with campaigning candidates (and dogs) and buttons, all screaming for your vote.

The voter turnout has been at an all-time high. However, despite all the excitement surrounding the campaigns, there are still those who feel apathetic about the hoopla, perhaps feeling that the two parties are too similar or others viewing the election as a popularity contest. As encouraging as it is to see thousands of students participating in the democratic process, hearing first year students in line to vote say they’re voting because someone gave them candy is disheartening. Hearing other students voting because they got free coffee is just sad (and yes, coffee is too expensive on campus). However, listening to many people voting on specific causes, based on informed decision, has made us optimistic for the future of UBCO.

Critical thinking

A university is supposed to encourage and foster critical thinking and learning. UBCO is even supposed to be “a place of mind.” Perhaps that doesn’t sink in until third year for some voting students, perhaps never for others. More so, lack of critical thinking apparently goes for some candidates as well. S4S has still not been able to explain what they mean with ombudsperson (where does the neutrality part come in?). When asked by the OPINION, members of S4S had not heard anything about an ombudsperson (no name calling). On the other side, its been hard for some students to understand Students in Action’s points, other than that they want change, and “they want it now.”

The Election Process

The election process at UBCO has been plagued for years with questions of its legitimacy. The current policies hardly create an environment for accountability, fairness and participation. Both sides campaigned in the line up for then voting booth and both campaigns followed first years’ to the line up and too many were more concerned with bashing the other side, than actually talking student politics. Students in Action told the OPINION that “we believe it should not be campaigning during voting day. Then we would not have an issue with campaigning in line.”

Questions have been raised about the policies banning anything resembling “pre-campaigning.” Limiting the ability of the student population to engage in discourse regarding student politics, all year around, promotes a repressive political atmosphere. The slate system itself restricts the ability of independent candidates to participate in student politics, as they are severely limited in terms of funding and campaigning abilities. Considering these policies, electoral reform may be necessary to ensure the integrity of the Student’s Union.

We hope, but are not trustful, in that Students in Action will re-write the election policies, prohibit campaigning around the voting area, stop campaigning on voting days and facilitate a town-hall debate, where students can challenge their representatives in a mature manner. Let us lead by example. Let us, at least, try to pretend this is a serous matter. Seeing the turnout this year, there is no doubt that the general student population take the election serious. Hopefully, students will continue to debate Student Union issues, student politics, gym fees and the future of The Well. A continuous political climate of discussion, accountability and debate is, in fact, vital for the future of student’s well being at UBCO.

Although it is encouraging to see the excitement throughout the school, it is unnecessary that some people are taking the campaign too far. The tearing down and vandalism of posters has been childish, as has the amounts of slander and backhanded comments about one side or the other. The use of “bribes” – whether it was candy, branded drinks, or puppy love has no place in an election and in a governmental election, this could have been thoroughly illegal. In some ways the campaign has become too aggressive in the calling out of students, and the attempts to sway votes outside voting booth. For many, waiting in line to vote was like walking through a gauntlet, and turned some away from voting. Elections do not have to be spiteful, dirty, or tear the school apart.

Did we vote? Yes, of course (with an annoyed undertone and a feeling of relief that we can now walk from the UNC to the library in peace). However, we will miss the free candy and coffee, and the puppy. (Should someone call PETA? Or are we okay with using animals for political purposes?)

We get it. You are nervous. You want all your friends to vote for you. In fact, you are willing to go pretty far to get elected. We get it. However, running after first year students and following them into the line up, followed by a promise to throw cool parties is not really that cool. In fact, if all of the candidates took this seriously enough to let students make up their own mind, to inform themselves through debate and discussion, we are sure the “coolest” slate would still win. Don’t underestimate students.

As students of political science, it has been exciting to follow the campaign days and watch people getting so involved on campus. In the end, Students in Action won. We congratulate them and S4S for eight years of committed service. Students wanted change; they wanted action. Hopefully, they will get to see the action they voted for.

We are at your disposal as election observers next year. We’ll even throw in a debate.

Yours truly,

PSSA Executive

Please comment and debate on the comment field below. 

My Final Word On Kony 2012

By Sol O'Rielly
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I’ve spent a good part of a day and night arguing about Kony 2012. I love arguing, it’s one of the reasons why I’m going into politics and law. But, it can be exhausting. As such I thought I’d just post my thoughts in one easy accessible place, so I posted it on my blog, and the PSSA people have been talking about no one writing anything for theirs so I thought I’d be a gentleman and share this.


We’re all PoliSci, IR, or as in my case PPE students, so I’m willing to bet most of us know of the situation. For those who may not, here’s a quickish summary. In 1986 in the central African state of Uganda, a man named Joseph Kony formed a rebel group called the Lord’s Resistance Army. This group wanted to form a government and laws as set down by the Ten Commandments. The LRA promptly proceeded to ignore the whole ‘Thou shalt not kill’ aspect of said laws. But that’s not the worse part, the LRA has a policy of abducting children and turning them into soldiers or sex slaves depending on their gender. they’ve also spread from Uganda to The Congo and other countries in Central Africa. These practices led the International Criminal Court to make Kony their first indictment post founding, as an aside as an aspiring human rights lawyer anything involving the ICC has me wanting to be involved at least superficially. Now I fully admit that this a massively simplified version of events, the Ugandan government is far from innocent for one thing.


Fastforwording to March 2012, a charity organization known as the Invisible Children, which was founded years earlier to showcase this conflict, launched it’s newest promotional campaign. A couple of days ago Invisible Children published a 30 minute video titled Kony 2012, and today as of this writing it has 19,986,084 views! The video explains who Kony is and what he has done, though it honestly doesn’t go more in-depth than I did really. It’s a noted experiment in social media encouraging people to share the video and on the night of April 20th, poster your local city. This is to try to create pressure on the governments of the world, with an US focused bent, to help the Ugandan government and arrest Kony.

Invisible Children has since received some criticism about some financial irregularities about how much money actually goes to the cause vs salaries, travel costs etc. Also they’ve come under fire a bit for supporting the Ugandan military and militias, which aren’t that much better than the Lord’s Resistance Army in some cases, and being in favour of military intervention. There are some claims that the LRA has virtually abandoned North Uganda, where IC is focused. The organization has posted a response to the critiques, which I’d take with a grain of salt. However, it’s better than mos responses we see come from companies or governments under fire, so kudos to them for that.


Now as to the purpose of this blog post. I view on the whole this is this: you can support the Kony 2012 movement, without supporting Invisible Children. Make you’re own posters rather than buying the package advertised by the charity, write your MP or government representative. There are plenty of ways to take part, no matter what your view on the charity behind it. As an aspiring human rights lawyer, this cause appeals to me in many buts besides that, I believe we all have a responsibility to the world and others, even if you don’t agree with that point people should take part because it’s the right thing to do. At the very least they’re bringing this to light and even people my Mother’s age who’d never heard of Joseph Kony before are learning about it. Knowledge is power after all, will free to educate yourself on the issue whole too.


Now as Osama, Gaddafi, and others have proven over recent years the strategy of cutting the head off of the snake isn’t as effective as we like to believe. If Kony is captured or killed that just the first step in address the problems in Uganda, and I hope people will stick around not just go ‘Ok, jobs done”. There will be forces left over, the kids will need a lot of help, physically, mentally and socially. As has been mentioned the current Ugandan government has its issues, with reports of looting, rape and abductions of their own, and there has been the “Death penalty for Homosexuality” bill. However, in the latter case the government caved to international pressure, at least temporarily, but it shows they’re probably more amiable to negotiation than the Lord’s Resistance Army. As I’ve said a few times to people, sometimes its about helping the lesser evil. It’ll be a long journey, but with help and their own will power and ability Uganda will be able to make it.


- Sol O'Rielly 


Update 
http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/03/12/invisible-children-releases-new-video-in-response-to-kony-2012-criticism/