Congratulations to Dr. Carmit Wiesslitz of the Department of Government, Communication and Diplomacy on the publication of her article, "Messaging Dissent: WhatsApp as Alternative Media in Times of Protest—The Case of Tikva," in the journal Social Sciences.
The study examines how the WhatsApp network Tikva functioned as an alternative media infrastructure during the 2023 protests against Israel's judicial reform. Drawing on a qualitative thematic analysis of 250 videos shared across the network, the research demonstrates how WhatsApp served as both the organizational and emotional backbone of the movement, transforming on-the-ground documentation into immediate calls for action while fostering a strong sense of belonging, commitment, and solidarity.
The findings further show that Tikva's videos developed counter-establishment narratives and a model of citizen journalism rooted in eyewitness accounts, independent expert voices, and an aesthetic of authenticity. In doing so, the study argues that WhatsApp emerged as a hybrid, closed broadcasting platform that challenged the traditional media's role in shaping public narratives and defining reality.
We congratulate Dr. Wiesslitz on this important contribution to the fields of communication, media studies, and political participation.
The full article can be found here: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/15/6/396
