Paper #3: Political Activism and Technology
due Tuesday 3/21 (5pages)
Readings: Malcolm Gladwell’s “Small Change”
Ian Bremmer’s “Democracy in Cyberspace: What Information Technology Can and Cannot Do”
Your rough draft and final essays should always be typed and double-spaced with one-inch margins, a 12-point Times New Roman font, and page numbers. Do NOT skip lines between paragraphs. **Late rough or final drafts will receive a grade reduction.
Malcolm Gladwell in “Small Change” differentiates between social media’s “weak ties” and inter-personal “strong ties.” Ian Bremmer in “Democracy in Cyberspace: What Information Technology Can and Cannot Do” explains why the democratization of communication does not necessarily lead to the spread of democracy in authoritarian countries. Using ideas from both texts, answer the following: How can the use of both “strong ties” and “weak ties” be used to help foster the democratic ideals of freedom and equality? What are their limits?
