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Document Details : Title: #Defenders_Of_Isis Subtitle: An Analysis of Online Public Discourse on Iran's Involvement in the Syrian Conflict Author(s): SCHUT, Lieke Journal: Persica Volume: 26 Date: 2017-2018 Pages: 63-101 DOI: 10.2143/PERS.26.0.3286868 Abstract : This study analyzes Persian Tweets and Instagram posts about Iran’s involvement in Syria in order to understand how Iranians discursively argue for or against their country’s partaking in this conflict. By carefully circumventing restrictions on free speech posed by the Iranian government through social media, this study reveals a polarized public debate that entails various online societal groups, such as the 'Barandazan' and a group of conservative activists. The analysis exposes argumentative strategies and delegitimizations based on presentations of the other as evil and changing discursive power relations. As such, it contributes to the understanding of online communities and practices as part of the Iranian web in general and the online public debate on Iran’s involvement in Syria in particular. |
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