Online and offline networks and voting decisions : the case of Egypt's post revolution parliamentary elections
Date
2014
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Publisher
The American University in Cairo
Abstract
This article takes the November 2011 parliamentary elections as a case study to assess the relative roles of on and offline networks in shaping political decisions in Egypt. Online networks do not emerge out of a vacuum but rather, out of a pattern of life that could not be considered independently of the socio-cultural localities that shape them. On the whole, results suggest that physical networks were significantly more influential than digital networks in shaping voting decisions. In particular, the family unit stands out as a primary driver of decision-making, at least for this sample.
Description
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Keywords
ELECTIONS, POLITICAL PARTICIPATION, POLITICAL BEHAVIOUR, SOCIAL MEDIA, KNOWLEDGE SHARING, MIDDLE EAST, DEMOCRATIZATION, EGYPT, SOCIAL CHANGE