Project description
How Iran dismantles Twitter narratives
What is the role of social media in repressing citizens? What do we know about Twitter communication during socio-political happenings in Iran, a semi-authoritarian and relatively understudied context? The EU-funded FIonPT project will answer these questions. Specifically, it will explore the networks, processes and mechanisms of production and usage of false information on the Iranian Twittersphere (Persian Twitter). It will also investigate the ways in which the Iranian state employs false information to dismantle Twitter narratives and underpin its hegemonic discourse. The findings will shed light on the importance of Twitter in Iran during two recent big events: nationwide protests in November 2019, and shooting down of the Ukrainian passenger jet in January 2020 by Iranian military forces.
Objective
This project, 1) explores the networks, processes and mechanisms of production and usage of false information (e.g. fake news, misinformation) on Iranian Twittersphere (Persian Twitter), and 2) investigates the ways in which the Iranian state employs false information to dismantle Twitter narratives and underpin its hegemonic discourse. Despite the importance of Twitter in Iran, we do not yet know much about the production and dissemination of false information on Persian Twitter. Furthermore, there are significant gaps in our understanding of the ways that the state uses false information for deterring Twitter narratives. Based on Hannah Arendt’s philosophical thoughts on speech and storytelling, this study addresses these gaps by investigating Persian Twitter in two recent big events in Iran: Nationwide protests in November 2019, and shooting the Ukrainian passenger flight in January 2020 by Iranian military forces. Having collected two tweet corpora during these cases, I will use a variety of methods (specifically a combination of social network analysis, ethnographic content analysis, and social media critical discourse study) to achieve a distant and close reading of tweets. In this phase, I will investigate users’ generic storytelling practices, state’s intervening strategies by disseminating false information, and finally, the nodal points where users and the state struggle to make their narratives hegemonic.
This project contributes to the studies of social media in repressing citizens by focusing on the role of dissemination of false information. It also enhances our understanding of Twitter communication during sociopolitical happenings in a semi-authoritarian, and relatively understudied context: Iran.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1010 WIEN
Austria
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.