Inventory List

An Inventory list, summarizing the key explorations of each chapter from the book, Tweets and the Streets : Social Media and Contemporary Activism by Paolo Gerbaudo

(1) ‘Friendly’ Reunions: Social Media and the Choreography of Assembly

In this chapter, Gerbaudo critiques dominant theories of collective action by Castells and Hardt and Negri, which he argues overemphasize spontaneity and neglect the role of shared identity in mobilisation. He introduces the concept of “choreography of assembly” to describe how movements symbolically and physically gather people, countering the fragmented nature of post-industrial societies (Gerbaudo, 2012, pp. 1–27).

(2) ‘We are not guys of comment and like’: The Revolutionary Coalescence of Shabab-al-Facebook

Gerbaudo discusses the role of social media in Egypt’s 2011 revolution, showing how platforms like Facebook (We Are All Khaled Said) transformed public anger into mobilisation. While online tools sparked the movement, physical spaces like Tahrir Square became central to its coordination. He also critiques the “Twitter pashas” for their potential disconnection from the wider public (Gerbaudo, 2012, pp. 29–57).

(3) ‘We are not on Facebook, we are on the streets!’: The Harvesting of Indignation

In this chapter, Gerbaudo examines how Spain’s indignados protest used social media to channel frustration into collective action. Puerta del Sol became the movement’s symbolic hub, with platforms like Twitter and live-streaming maintaining participation and emotional engagement with supporters (Gerbaudo, 2012, pp. 59–88).

(4) ‘The hashtag which did (not) start a revolution’: The Laborious Adding Up to the 99%

Gerbaudo explores Occupy Wall Street’s challenges in using social media for mobilisation. Early efforts, like Adbusters’ call to action, struggled to gather momentum until the occupation of Zuccotti Park. Platforms such as Tumblr (We Are the 99%) later helped build a shared identity, but turning online support into physical participation remained difficult (Gerbaudo, 2012, pp. 90–120).

(5) ‘Follow me, but don’t ask me to lead you!’ Liquid Organising and Choreographic Leadership

Gerbaudo compares how movements use social media to enable “liquid” organisational practices while developing indirect leadership styles. He highlights how Facebook serves as a recruitment tool, while Twitter is key for internal coordination, with both platforms fostering emotional connections and drawing participants to public spaces (Gerbaudo, 2012, pp. 122–148).

Conclusion

Gerbaudo reflects on how social media creates new public spaces in fragmented societies and addresses tensions within movements, such as between organisation and spontaneity, or sustainability and ephemerality (Gerbaudo, 2012, pp. 149–160).

Appendix

The appendix includes details on the 80 interviewees and the sampling methods used, with all unattributed quotations drawn from these testimonies (Gerbaudo, 2012, pp. 161–165).

Reference
Gerbaudo, P. (2012). Tweets and the Streets: Social Media and Contemporary Activism. Pluto Press. Available at: ProQuest Ebook Central [Accessed 15 Nov. 2024].