Beehive: Middle East Social Media

Beehive is a product of the Doron Halpern Middle East Network Analysis Desk (MENAD), which studies noteworthy trends on Arab, Turkish, and Iranian social media. Beehive positions these trends within a broader context and provides an up-to-date perspective on issues that are being actively discussed by the people of the region. Advanced tools allow the Center's researchers to focus only on discussions that are significant in terms of their duration as well as the number of participants. It is edited by Dr. Harel Chorev, Dr. Raz Zimmt, and Smadar Shaul.

151 items

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“Spiritual Betrothals”: Iranian Women Engaged to Casualties of War

Date

February 7, 2019

Raz Zimmt investigates the discourse surrounding the phenomenon of young Iranian women who announce that they are betrothed to Iranian soldiers killed in the Iran-Iraq war, or in Iran’s more recent military campaigns in Syria and Iraq.

Civil War? The rift between Fatah and Hamas, as seen on social media

Date

February 7, 2019

Michael Barak surveys the online discourse surrounding the ongoing feud between the Fatah and Hamas movements, which has been characterized by public disputes between supporters of the respective movements. The tension is causing public concern about the possibility of further deterioration into civil war.

“The People Want to Overthrow the Regime:” Demonstrations in Sudan against the Bashir Regime

Date

February 7, 2019

Adam Hoffman and Haim Koren analyze the discourse surrounding the mass demonstrations now being held across Sudan in protest of the Omar al-Bashir regime.

In the shadow of the yellow vests of France: Erdoğan settles accounts with the Gezi Park protesters

Date

January 6, 2019

Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak examines the discourse on Turkish social media concerning the recent arrest of Turkish academics who had participated in the 2013 Gezi Park protests, and the parallels that some users drew between that demonstration and the massive Yellow Vest protests in France.

“Bots,” arrests and the connection between them: the Modus Operandi of Mohammed bin Salman’s regime in Saudi power struggles

Date

January 6, 2019

Nachum Shiloh analyzes the modus operandi on social media of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, his allies and opponents.

“First of all, I am an Egyptian citizen, and afterwards a Christian”: The Coptic Church in Egypt between religion and politics, as reflected on social media

Date

January 6, 2019

Michael Barak reviews the public discourse among the Coptic community on Egyptian social networking sites, which concerns the involvement of the church and its leader Patriarch Theodore II in political issues.

The Role of Social Networks in Shaping the Identity of Economic Boycott Movements in Morocco

Date

December 9, 2018

Sarah Hassnaoui takes a look at the ambivalence that the Kingdom of Morocco demonstrates towards freedom of expression in Morocco.

Iranian Social Media Reacts to the Renewal of Sanctions

Date

December 9, 2018

This article by Raz Zimmt reviews the public discourse on Iranian social networks concerning the second round of sanctions led by the United States against the Islamic Republic.

“Live with them Equitably”: Al-Azhar Institute & Social Networks as Platforms for Lowering the Divorce Rate in Egypt

Date

November 7, 2018

Michael Barak analyzes the online campaign led by the Al-Azhar Institute, with the encouragement of the Egyptian government, to reduce the high divorce rate in Egypt, and the ambivalent attitudes among Egyptians users of social media towards the campaign.

Al-Qaeda in Baluchistan and its Connection to the War in Syria

Date

November 7, 2018

Ariel Koch exposes the activity of Balushi terrorist organizations in Sistan-Baluchistan in Iran, and the way that they have adopted the ideology of Salafi-Jihadi organizations, most significantly that of al-Qaeda.