Bahrains Uprising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bahrains Uprising - Essay Example Several years have seen discontent on the rise among the people as well as growing demands for freedom of speech, independence of the judicial system, the release of political prisoners, and a new constitution. The source of discontent is clear at the beginning of the Bahraini uprising at the period of Arab spring, but the mode of propagation of the discontent could be debated from different viewpoints with major contention focusing on whether social media had a significant impact in the Bahraini uprising (Wehrey, 2013). Howard and Hussain (2011) addressed the issue of social media in the uprising giving a number of opinions while Wehrey (2013) gives his views on the Pearl Roundabout uprising in his 2013 article titled ‘Bahrain’s Decade of Discontent’. Howard and Hassan (2011) are of the opinion that digital media is what helped in turning community-specific, localized and individualized dissent from its original setting into movements that were designed for share d grievances and which provided an opportunity for action. Wehrey (2013), on the other hand, purports that while digital activists in the Middle East are to be credited with some accomplishments like documenting police brutality, the underlying social, religious, political, and historical aspects engrained in the uprising far outweigh the impact of social media in sparking the protests. The viewpoints regarding the impact of social media in the Bahraini Uprising may differ, but certainly, common ground exists based on the shared passion for overall change in the regime from the current oppressive one to a more democratic one. The shared concern expressed in both articles is the necessity for reforms in the political system of Bahrain. The social upheavals in Bahrain are a result of a series of collective issues that have led the people to seek change in power dynamics.