Greek Anti-austerity Movements in Social Media: The Roles and Powers of Social Networks

Greek Anti-austerity Movements in Social Media: The Roles and Powers of Social Networks

This study explores the roles and powers of social networks formed in social media by focusing on the case of Greek anti-austerity movements. This study adopted two different theoretical models. For the roles of social networks, Kidd and McKintosh’s three roles of social media in social movements. For the power of social networks, Castell’s theory of network power was adopted. This study applied an automated social network analysis. It employed NodeXL to conduct social media network analysis and visualise the results. For the social networks, this study looked at three major social media outlets—Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The results can be summarised into the social networks’ roles and powers. For the roles of social networks, social media played a limited role regarding causing actual protests. For the power of social networks, social media limitedly has networking power, network power and networked power. This study’s main implication was that Greek anti-austerity protests can be re-emerged by social media, and they have some potential dangers. At the national level, the anti-austerity protests can hinder Greece’s democratic consolidation by strengthening far-right and far-left parties. At the European level, the protests can threaten solidarity among EU member states by enhancing Euroscepticism. Thus, it is vital to seek the proper measures to prevent further crises caused.

This study explores the roles and powers of social networks formed in social media by focusing on the case of Greek anti-austerity movements. This study adopted two different theoretical models. For the roles of social networks, Kidd and McKintosh’s three roles of social media in social movements. For the power of social networks, Castell’s theory of network power was adopted. This study applied an automated social network analysis. It employed NodeXL to conduct social media network analysis and visualise the results. For the social networks, this study looked at three major social media outlets—Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The results can be summarised into the social networks’ roles and powers. For the roles of social networks, social media played a limited role regarding causing actual protests. For the power of social networks, social media limitedly has networking power, network power and networked power. This study’s main implication was that Greek anti-austerity protests can be re-emerged by social media, and they have some potential dangers. At the national level, the anti-austerity protests can hinder Greece’s democratic consolidation by strengthening far-right and far-left parties. At the European level, the protests can threaten solidarity among EU member states by enhancing Euroscepticism. Thus, it is vital to seek the proper measures to prevent further crises caused.