Lexington Books
Pages: 236
•
Trim: 6¼ x 9¼
978-1-66692-456-5 • Hardback • October 2023 • $100.00 • (£77.00)
978-1-66692-457-2 • eBook • October 2023 • $45.00 • (£35.00)
Reza Mohajer, Ph.D. is Political Scientist at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and founded the non-profit Social Peace & Justice Foundation 501(c)(3).
Introduction: Historical Foundation
Chapter 1: Dawn of the Political Expressionism Era
Chapter 2: Theoretical Foundation
Chapter 3: Roots of Social Movements in Iran
Chapter 4: Social Movements in the Middle East and the World
Chapter 5: Impact of ICTs on Social Movements
Chapter 6: Changes in ICT Trends
Chapter 7: Future of Social Movements
Conclusion
“Political Expressionism: Roots of Social Movements in Iran, the Middle East is an important book that deserves the attention of anyone interested in the power of social movements in the Middle East region and the challenge they pose to the current authoritarian regimes there. Reza Mohajer brings the analysis right up to date by exploring the ongoing protests throughout the Arab world and Iran. It is a must-read volume for both academics and policy-making circles.”
— Mahmood Monshipouri, San Francisco State University
“Featuring conceptual acuity, historical depth, and a passion for justice, Reza Mohajer’s extensive commentary on what he calls “the modern dream for social change” will occupy an important place in the literature of social movements for years to come.”
— Michael J. Shapiro, University of Hawai'i, Manoa
In Political Expressionism, Reza Mohajer offers a deep dive into the way that social media has transformed social movements. Looking at contemporary social movements in places ranging from Iran (a key focus) to Tahrir Square and beyond, he argues that social media have allowed a level of abstraction to develop in social movements characterized by an overabundance, rather than a paucity of information, rapidly shifting truth regimes and a kind of general flexibility that can either be a boon or a hindrance to collective action, depending on how it is undertaken. This is a critical text for anyone who wants to take a step back from the seemingly chaotic and ever shifting nature of contemporary social movements and see what patterns and techniques have emerged, how they operate and how they can be maximized to allow for radical change to occur.
— James Martel, professor of political science, San Francisco State University