Islamist cyber-activism: contesting the message, redefining the public

Abstract

Islamist groups are using social media as a counter-space to challenge the prevailing secular media narrative in Tunisia and redefine the public sphere. Since the 2011 uprising, these groups have brought Islam into the public and redefined a space previously circumscribed under the secular state project of the former regime. While Islamists have increased their activism, the secular message remains dominant. This discursive marginalisation leaves many groups seen, but not heard, in the media. Drawing on the theories of Henri Lefebvre on space and contentious politics, I demonstrate how perceptions of media exclusion give rise to Islamist online activism. Semi-structured interviews with Islamist and Salafist activists and media professionals inform the analysis. The Salafist Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia movement serves as a case study to unpack the role cyber-activism plays in giving voice to the resistance and redefining the public. This case study examines how the Salafist current uses the Internet to challenge the narrative and mobilise on the ground. It goes even further to access how the ideology itself serves these ends. This article also finds that Islamist activists' online contestation depends on the extent to which their ideology accepts, tolerates and navigates Tunisia's ever present secular political system. Contention is greatest where the disjuncture between public engagement and discursive marginalisation is strongest.