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Virtual networks and protest in Croatia 2011

During February and March 2011 Croatia became an arena for citizens protests organized in 24 towns all over the country. Public protests were expression of discontent with the way country is ruled, and protesters central demand was immediate resignation of Croatian Government. But the course of protest have shown deeper dissatisfaction with the results of the transition processes in Croatia, when different centers of political power (from political parties to national bank and television) became targets of protestors marches. Initiators of the protests were using virtual social networks (primarily Facebook) as a tool for social mobilization. The goal of this work is to analyze the role of virtual networks not just as the mobilization tools, but also as newly established public sphere. Facebook as computer mediated public sphere has played the triple role: activists (place for coordinating actions) ; public debate (daily comments on the political events) ; and community building. In this way Facebook became space for new political socialization of Croatian citizens. While some political analysts consider protests a sign of the end of transition period, the fact that protests were mediated through digital media give evidence on Croatia's participation in yet another transition – transition to network society.

virtual networks; public sphere; transition; networked activism

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