Experts can discuss Turkish protests, role of Twitter in the unrest

MEDIA ADVISORY ANN ARBOR-A wave of unrest has spread across Turkey as Twitter and other forms of social media have been used to share images and updates of clashes between protesters and police. The Turkish prime minister has accused Twitter of fueling the tensions, saying it's a "menace to society." Professors at the University of Michigan are available to discuss the Turkish demonstrations and the role social media play in such eruptions. They include: Scott Campbell, the Pohs Endowed Professor of Tele and associate professor of communication studies, says that the protests in Turkey are the latest example of how Twitter and social media have emerged as powerful tools for personal expression and collective action. "Although social media have not caused political protest, they have certainly become an important ingredient in allowing people to voice their opinions and work together to challenge existing power structures," he says. Campbell's research examines the uses and consequences of new media. Much of his recent work investigates how mobile communication has the capacity to make people both more and less connected in both private and public realms of social life. him at This email address is being protected from spambots.