Manuel Castells, a Spanish sociologist, is a prominent figure in the field of communication theory. Among the theorists in this field, Castells is introduced as a distinguished writer who attempts to provide an analysis of a complex world intertwined with today’s media by studying various areas such as urban sociology, political economy, organizational studies, virtual space, and social movements simultaneously.

The “Information Age Trilogy” should be considered Castells’ most important work, however he also has numerous other valuable works, one of which is “Networks of Outrage and Hope: Social Movements in the Internet Age”. This book, which was published in 2012, has both supporters and critics.

The author of the mentioned book states that the developments in the field of technology in the past two decades have caused social movements to also adopt a distinct characteristic and become “networked” as a result of being influenced by these changes. The concept of “networked movements” – which the author refers to as a new model of social movements – is defined in the book as participatory movements that have a more horizontal network structure, with less hierarchy, and therefore do not have a leader. These movements take shape in virtual social networks and spread like a contagious virus in today’s world, through the exchange of images and text via mobile phones. From Castells’ perspective, these movements find a new public space in societies where the possibility of creating a public space and forming communities in urban areas exists, which is no longer limited to the online space. The way these two spaces (hybrid space) are linked is a very important topic that can be read about in detail in this book. “Mass self

The reason for the formation of such movements in the first place is rooted in the feeling of humiliation arising from the cynicism of those in power – especially dictators – who have brought the members of society together in fear, then hope; they want to experience a new form of being and being a people.

One of the criticisms that has been made about this book is the author’s excessive focus on the concept of individualization and the score that he considers for it; how many researchers believe that in order to better understand the possibilities that social networks provide to society, we must always have a critical look at the concept of individualization and autonomy resulting from relationships in these networks. It is also necessary to be critical of the self-centered nature of social media, which often challenge the collective creativity of movements and political organizations; a challenge that often creates weak groups and does not lead to a common socio-political project. The multiple and sometimes conflicting effects of social networks on different social groups are also important issues that cannot be easily overlooked.

This book – as mentioned – was published in 2012 and at that time some critics were saying how Castells exaggerates the importance of the internet, social networks, and the resulting mental and behavioral effects on users. They believed he was making a clear exaggeration; however, in 2017 and with the undeniable reality of the widespread use of social networks, this criticism can easily be dismissed and a stamp of approval can be placed on his prediction.

Book Name: Networks of Anger and Hope: Social Movements in the Internet Age

Author: Manuel Castells

Translator: Mojtaba Gholipour

Farsi Publication: 1393 – Center Publishing