Week 6, Blog 3: The Arab Spring and Technology

Week 6; Blog 3 – The Arab Spring and Technology

The article is from the following site: http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/the_arab_spring_a_status_report_on_morocco_yemen_a.php#more

Curt Hopkins’ article is very interesting, particularly because I’m a World History teacher.  In this article, he explores how technology impacted the Arab Spring in two countries: Morocco and Yemen. 

In Morocco, the government would try to act as if demonstrators had called off demonstrations.  The technology (blog posts particularly) helped to negate these claims.  The actual organizers would be able to send out information via the web (using Web 2.0 technology) so that people knew that demonstrations against the government were actually happening.  This allowed the people to have a voice.  If the technology hadn’t been in use, then the protests would not have happened and the people would not have had a voice.  It’s amazing how this technology has given people a voice that they never had before. 

In Yemen – a country that has high illiteracy and poverty – technology still played a role in helping the people form a voice against their government.  A Yemeni living in Sweden created a portal for Yemenis to use to let people know about demonstrations, etc.  Internet connectivity is very low in Yemen, yet wireless access using mobiles is somewhat prevalent.  This allowed people to communicate in real time and have access to the knowledge of these demonstrations.  Again, people found a voice.

As teachers, we must show students how Facebook, blogging, and other Web 2.0 tools are being used by others around the world.  The revolution of Facebook and Twitter and other sites such as these has given people a voice that has really been unprecedented in this world.  Then, we must ask students what would it be like had those technologies not been around.  It’s a very fascinating and intriguing topic to think about.

Hopkins, Curt. “The Arab Spring: A Status Report on Morocco and Yemen.”  20 July 2011.  Web.  ReadWriteWeb.  24 July 2011.  <http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/the_arab_spring_a_status_report_on_morocco_yemen_a.php#more>.