الليبيين. The Role of Social Media in Promoting a Culture of Tolerance and National Reconciliation from the Perspective of Libyan Academics Researchers

Abstract

This study explores the role of social media in fostering tolerance, national reconciliation, and awareness of solidarity and peaceful coexistence within Libyan society, given its profound impact on socio-political and economic systems. The significance of this research lies in the nature of these platforms as minimally regulated digital arenas that are often exploited by various groups to advance ideological agendas. Consequently, they serve as contested spaces that may either facilitate disinformation campaigns and destructive narratives—such as hate speech, terrorism, extremism, and parochialism—or encourage constructive public discourse on societal issues. This duality is amplified by the transformation of social media into powerful tools of public opinion, whose influence oscillates between positive and negative outcomes depending on users’ orientations.

Accordingly, the study aims to:

1. Assess Libyan academics’ perspectives on the effectiveness of social media in disseminating values of reconciliation;
2. Examine the tangible impact of this communicative function;
3. Propose practical measures to counter inflammatory media rhetoric that undermines social cohesion.

Methodologically, the study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach supported by scientific sampling techniques and framed within Habermas’ Public Sphere theory. This paradigm emphasizes the importance of deliberative spaces that respect individual agency while reinforcing collective resilience against destabilizing forces.