Performative Revolution in Egypt An Essay in Cultural Power

The 2011 revolution in Egypt was revolutionary far beyond regime change in Cairo. It may be considered our first view of what a civil, egalitarian society in the Middle East might look like in the age of Twitter, YouTube and instant global media. Using international news reports and translations of the social media pages that triggered millions of Egyptians to flood the streets in mass protest rallies, Yale University sociologist Jeff Alexander uncovers the narrative of a revolution that was scripted by its organizers as both a moral and media statement. He explores why the world was so captivated by months of news reports about the perilous uprising and explains the revolution as a theatrical performance, one designed to reveal to the world that the microcosm of Tahrir Square of mostly peaceful civil disobedience was a template for democratic movements internationally. Compelling and effective, the use of digital and social media, the organized protests that sprang from it and the peace and persistence of the demonstrators ultimately, Alexander argues, swayed the Egyptian army to support the movement and brought about regime change. This powerful and insightful book on what is being called the "Arab Spring" is a must-read for anyone interested in how social media is fundamentally changing global politics.