Words of wonder sur facebook1/16/2023 ![]() ![]() According to the last Canadian census held in 2011, there were more than 750,000 Arab Canadians living in Canada mostly residing in Quebec and Ontario (Canadian Arab Institute Bulletin 2013). In addition, Arabic is considered to be among the top ten foreign languages spoken in Canada by ethnic groups (Statistics Canada 2011). ![]() In Montreal and Ottawa, Arabs come second after Blacks as the largest ethnic group (19.7%), and they constitute the second youngest visible minority group, as their median age is 30.2. For instance, Canada welcomed 34,567 Arabs in 2010 (Canadian Arab Institute 2013) and by the beginning of 2016 over 25,000 Syrian refugees were admitted into the country following the new Liberal government promise (CBC 2016). While the figures change over time, Canadians from Arab descent were estimated to be 348,000 according to the 2001 census (Census of Canada 2001) and this population continues to increase. ![]() The Arab community living in Canada is regarded as a visible minority group and is known to have a 23.8% unemployment level which is the highest in Canada as of 2006 (Jedwab 2008). Before discussing the details, it is important to provide an overview of the Arab Canadian community living in Canada. These aspects are investigated through an empirical study of social media production involving an online group called “Arab Canadians”. This aspect of vertical communication is linked to the theory of networked gatekeeping, while Anderson’s concept of ‘imagined communities’ is used to highlight the way Facebook functions as a platform for virtual nationhood. The study attempts to understand the dynamics between horizontal and vertical communication in social media spaces, by analyzing the influence of a social media moderator on the discussions on a Facebook page. This research empirically investigates an online community by exploring its social media expressions which are regarded as a horizontal type of communication. Through a close analysis of these practices, the article sheds light on the role of social media in shaping online identities constructed around virtual nationhood. Building on the theory of networked gatekeeping, the study argues that vertical and horizontal flows of communication shape the online debate that takes place in this virtual space. The study concludes that the Facebook administrator functions as a centralized gatekeeper who filters online chatter and leads the discussion to a certain direction. The results of the study revealed that the majority of comments carry highly positive sentiments towards Canada and its people, yet there is evidence that some comments are moderated. Facebook here is a virtual nation that offers the community members an imagined sense of identity and belonging which they aspire to get. The study builds on Anderson’s concept of ‘imagined communities’ and argues that Facebook provides the platform for an online nation in which users, whether Canadians or prospective immigrants, interact and exchange ideas about a country whose imagined concept varies from one user to another. This article focuses on the study of online communities and introduces an empirical study of social media production involving an online group called “Arab Canadians”. ![]()
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