External Communication in Social Media During Asymmetric Conflicts: A Theoretical Model and Empirical Case Study of the Conflict in Israel and Palestine by Bernd Hirschberger

Author:Bernd Hirschberger [Hirschberger, Bernd]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: International Relations, Peace, Political Science, Political Process, General
ISBN: 9783732855094
Google: rMA3EAAAQBAJ
Publisher: transcript Verlag
Published: 2021-07-31T09:09:39+00:00

6.3.4Branding and shaming as strategies for conserving and challenging

The last section has described the characteristics that are most relevant for the conflict parties to adapt their external communication to best suit their interests, which are shaped by the asymmetric distribution of social/institutional capabilities. These characteristics are characteristics that are best provided by those external communication strategies that have been defined in chapter 2 as “branding” and “shaming”:

Pictures and stories of the conflict are particularly attractive for shaming (cf. section 2.2.1.). If this option is available, shaming, therefore, typically refers to a conflict as a reference theme. As argued in the last section, however, permanent and abundant references to the conflict, as it is typical for shaming, are harmful, as they risk undermining that Israel is perceived as a reliable, stable partner with shared values. Branding, in contrast, helps Israel foster this impression.

The Palestinian side, in contrast, being not vulnerable and even profiting from being perceived as the weak victim, does not need to shy away from using shaming for featuring the conflict as their single most important priority. The shaming strategy is most suitable to challenge the, from the Palestinian perspective, dissatisfying status quo. Furthermore, shaming can be well used to present accusations against Israel, that (allegedly) show that Israel violates international norms and that, consequently, raise doubts about Israel’s self-characterization as an actor with shared values.

As shaming is consequently the ideal strategy for the Palestinian conflict parties and branding is the ideal strategy for the Israeli side from the point of view of their social/institutional interests, it can be expected that the Palestinian external communication is dominated by shaming and the Israeli external communication by branding. Indeed, as it was shown already in chapter 5, this is the case for the external communication of the conflict parties in the conflict in Israel and Palestine: The external communication of Hamas, as well as the external communication of the PLO & the PNA, is strongly dominated by shaming and frequently features (alleged) Israeli norm violations. The external communication of the Israeli authorities, in contrast, is strongly dominated by branding and Israel frequently presents itself as a strong, reliable, stable partner with shared values.

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