Navigating digital repertoires of activism in authoritarian monarchies: The case of the Omanis Without Jobs movement

Al Khatri, Dalal 2024. Navigating digital repertoires of activism in authoritarian monarchies: The case of the Omanis Without Jobs movement. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

This study investigates how digital repertoires of activism function within the constraints of authoritarian monarchies, focusing on the Omanis Without Jobs (OWJ) movement. By integrating opportunity structure, mediation opportunity structure, and repertoires of communication, the research examines how OWJ activists strategically navigate digital spaces to advocate for change while mitigating risks associated with direct confrontation. Using a qualitative methodology, the study drew on 20 semi-structured interviews with activists on Twitter (currently X), observations of multiple social media platforms, and an analysis of 20 Twitter memes. The findings revealed that Oman’s media landscape was dominated by state control, censorship, and societal norms that discouraged overt dissent, compelling activists to engage in soft digital activism. Twitter memes emerged as a primary repertoire of communication, with humour, cultural symbolism, and coded messaging serving as strategic tools to challenge dominant narratives while avoiding direct repression. Among the different themes observed, humour-based memes were the most prevalent, followed by political, cultural, social, transnational, resonance, and religious themes, illustrating how activists creatively circumvented restrictions. Platform selection also played a crucial role in movement dynamics, with Twitter being the primary space for public engagement, agenda-setting, and mobilization through hashtags and viral content. Meanwhile, WhatsApp facilitated private coordination and recruitment due to its encrypted nature, offering a safer alternative for internal discussions. Other platforms such as Clubhouse, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook played more peripheral roles, with Facebook’s limited influence in Oman contrasting with its prominence during the Arab Spring. These platform preferences highlight the importance of context-specific analysis when examining digital activism in authoritarian settings. By shedding light on the strategic use of Twitter memes as a repertoire of communication for marginalized voices, this study contributes to scholarship on digital activism in authoritarian monarchies and expands our understanding of political contention in similarly restrictive environments

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Journalism, Media and Culture
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	9 May 2025
Date of Acceptance:	8 May 2025
Last Modified:	22 May 2025 10:19
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/178170

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