Networked Publics and Civic Participation: The Role of Citizen Media in the Israel–Gaza War

Abstract

The expansion of digital communication technologies has fundamentally redefined contemporary media practices, enabling participatory media to emerge as a central force in democratic communication. This transformation has facilitated the rise of citizen journalism, where non-professional entities engage in news production, circulation, and interpretation through networked digital platforms. In contemporary political conflicts, these participatory practices increasingly intersect with grassroots civic action, positioning media participation not only as representational activity but as a form of civic engagement, resistance, and social intervention. This study examines the interconnected relationship between participatory media, citizen journalism, and grassroots civic action through the case of the Israel Gaza war (2023–2025), during which citizen-generated audiovisual content, real-time digital reporting, and transnational online mobilization shaped global political discourse. Based in Participatory Communication Theory and Civic Engagement Theory, this study conceptualizes participatory media as a communicative infrastructure enabling citizen journalism to operate as a catalyst for civic awareness, collective mobilization, and political accountability beyond institutional media frameworks.

DOI - https://doi.org/10.65525/SVUP.9788199963313.2026.127-144