Online Resistance and Oppression in "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement in Iran

• In Event: 40420 - Section on Political Sociology Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 16: The Politics of Social Movements 1

Abstract

The ؛Women, Life, Freedom؛ (WLF) movement emerged in Iran following the tragic death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022. Initially a reaction to the violent enforcement of mandatory veiling (hijab) laws, it quickly evolved into a nationwide uprising demanding broader social, political, and gender rights (Afary, 2022). Unlike previous waves of resistance, such as the 2009 Green Movement and the 2017–2019 economic protests, WLF uniquely transitioned from street protests to cyberspace, utilizing digital platforms not only as a tactical alternative but as a strategic arena for sustained resistance. The Iranian state, aware of the mobilizing power of physical and digital spaces, pursued a dual strategy: violently reclaiming the streets while simultaneously weakening resistance in cyberspace through internet censorship, platform restrictions, and disinformation campaigns (Banihashemi, 2023). Nevertheless, protesters successfully leveraged cyberspace as both a tool for organizing actions and a platform for shaping collective identity.

Henri Lefebvre’s theory of the production of space provides a useful framework for understanding this transition. According to Lefebvre (1991), space is not neutral; it is socially constructed and serves as a battleground for struggles between dominant forces and resistance movements. The Iranian state sought to impose control over urban spaces through mass arrests, executions, and severe violence to suppress protests. Within the first 82 days, 544 demonstrations took place across 160 cities, yet authorities heavily restricted public mourning ceremonies—historically a mobilizing force in Iranian activism—going as far as secretly burying some victims to prevent mass gatherings (Touhidi, 2023). As physical spaces became inaccessible, cyberspace emerged as an alternative battleground where activists could sustain the movement.

This study employs content analysis of Twitter data to examine how digital resistance reshaped the WLF movement. Since Twitter denied full research access, a snowball sampling method was used to collect tweets by tracking hashtags such as #MahsaAmini and other movement-related terms.

Author

• Soodeh Mansouri, University of Illinois