Emirati expats in social media: a new arena for involvement and political expression?

Abstract

Citizens’ online participation has gained momentum from voting to activism. Citizens of the United Arab Emirates actively utilize social media platforms and online sphere to express themselves, despite the prevalence of state authoritarianism. This study, however, does not deal with citizens’ participation in political affairs via online mediums but, rather, focuses upon the migrants–or expats–who constitute the majority of the UAE population. Despite the impossibility of acquiring citizenship, migrants have found ways to conduct some kinds of acts and habitus of citizenship. This study is based on Emirati expats’ participation in social and political life via different mediums, mainly YouTube. With citizens’ collaboration, the expats are able to join debates about Emirati life and challenge the Gulf migrants’ rhetoric.