The role of cyberspace on the situation of the public sphere in Iran

Subject Areas :

saeed bashiri ¹ , seyyed mostafa abtahi ² , Ali Morshedizad ³

1 - PhD Student in Political Science, Faculty of Law, Theology and Political Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 - Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law, Theology and Political Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 - Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and Islamic Revolution, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2020-08-24 Accepted : 2020-08-24 Published : 2020-08-22

Keywords: Civil Society, Cyberspace, public opinion, Non-Governmental Organizations, public domain,

Abstract :

Today, the phenomenon of information and communication revolution and its well-known product, cyberspace and social networks, are making fundamental and wide-ranging changes in the nature of socio-political forms and structures in various societies, and this has occupied the minds of researchers about how and the consequences and effects of these changes. Is. Cyberspace has been effective on all social, political, economic and cultural spheres of societies and due to its capacities such as speed, learning, permanent access, two-way and multi-way interaction, extra-space and extra-temporal, it has been able to be considered as a basic and effective tool on citizen relations. . The research seeks to investigate the role of cyberspace and social networks on creating and strengthening the public sphere among Iranians. The research has been done using descriptive-analytical method and study of documents and libraries and in collecting information from books, articles and websites. Findings show that cyberspace and its latest achievement, namely social networks, play an important and fundamental role in directing and enlightening public opinion, raising awareness in society, strengthening the functions of civil society and non-governmental organizations. The results indicate that cyberspace has played an effective and positive role in redefining and strengthening the public sphere among Iranians.