المجلة الدولية للاتصال الاجتماعي
Volume 13, Numéro 3, Pages 70-94
2026-09-30
The Role Of Social Media In Shaping The Mental Image Of Nations During International Crises The U.s.-iran Conflict Over The Strait Of Hormuz As A Model
Authors : Belkacemi Ali .
Abstract
This study derives its importance from the fundamental shifts in the structure of international communication, where social media platforms have emerged as a key actor in directing public opinion and formulating political perceptions. It aims to deconstruct the mechanisms through which these platforms influence the shaping of nations' mental images and to identify their communication strategies, taking the Strait of Hormuz crisis between the United States of America and Iran as a case study. The study relies on the descriptive-analytical approach, grounded in the theories of media framing and agenda-setting as explanatory frameworks. The expected findings conclude that social media represents a double-edged sword; while it enables both parties to the conflict to construct flexible strategic narratives, it simultaneously strips them of absolute control over the flow of information in favor of decentralized networks and non-state actors, thereby leaving the mental image vulnerable to systematic distortion through algorithmic engineering and disinformation campaigns.
Keywords
Social Media ; Mental Image ; International Crises ; Digital Diplomacy ; Strategic Narratives
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