The Digital Public Sphere as a Mobilizer for Audience- Influencer Interaction: The 2021 Sheikh Jarrah Events as a Case Study رسالة ماجستير

Abstract

This study explores the factors influencing audience engagement with the content produced by influencers Alaa Hamdan and Mona Al Kurd on the Instagram platform during the 2021 events in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. Serving as a case study, the research’s problem is to understand the motivations behind audience interaction with the influencers' content during these events, exploring whether such engagement is driven by personal motivation or influenced by the content and messaging of the influencers. Additionally, the study investigates how the Instagram platforms of these influencers facilitated and reinforced audience participation and discussion amidst the backdrop of the Israeli occupation. Furthermore, the research seeks to analyze the role of influencers’ content in disseminating reliable information and examines key strategies for effectively conveying political content through influencers. Employing both quantitative and qualitative analyses, the study draws upon theoretical frameworks such as the digital public sphere, symbolic interaction, and concepts of social media interactivity. The findings of the study revealed that the interactive process observed between the audience and the two influencers is intricately tied to the influencers' unique approaches and techniques in presenting information.