Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Toward An Islamic Modernity: Ataturk, Erdogan, & Gulen, Kevin Jackson

Honors Theses

The Gülenist movement, also known as Hizmet, is an Islamic reform movement that has arisen recently in Turkey. Centered on the teachings of Fethullah Gülen, an Islamic scholar and teacher, the movement has been the focus of both praise and controversy. Accused of being a dangerous “state within a state” by the Turkish government, it has nevertheless attracted a wide following in Turkey and seeks a global audience. In Hizmet, Fethullah Gülen has developed a movement that offers to reconcile the tensions between Islam and Western modernity, encouraging its followers to keep the Islamic faith while embracing the challenges and …

Networking And Revolution: How Social Media Has Shaped The Arab Spring, Stacy Beck

Honors Theses

In the Spring of 2011, a tremor swept through North Africa and the Middle East. What began in Tunisia as one man's self-immolation in protest of the government sparked demonstrations throughout the region. Shouting and demonstrating soon escalated into full out revolution. While countries involved have had varying experiences and levels of success, one thing is clear: social media was a powerful tool in this historic moment.

Facebook currently has one billion users -- or one in seven people. Twitter has 400 million users, Instagram is home to 100 million users, and YouTube has one billion unique visitors per month. …