ABSTRACT
The ideology of Hezbollah and the Party’s pragmatic use of religious tools such as taklif shari, ijtihad of jihad is central to its capacity to mobilise its supporters. Mobilisation in this context refers to the call to action of religious groups or community networks as a form of political protest. This chapter will explore social mobilisation theory as a framework to better understand Hezbollah’s success in gaining domestic and regional support for its socio-political positions. Emmanuel Karagiannis argues Hezbollah’s status as a social movement organisation is evidenced in its growing number of highly committed members and its quest for political change. This chapter will focus on the ways in which Hezbollah’s political platform to improve the conditions of Shi’ite communities in Lebanon and the region support the characterisation of the Party as a social movement organisation. I will also address the significance of Hezbollah’s use of both traditional media and social media as a social mobilisation tool. This discussion will be framed in relation to the way the media tools underpin the Party’s participation in Lebanese politics and help to establish it as an inclusive political party.
