External Communication in Social Media During Asymmetric Conflicts : A Theoretical Model and Empirical Case Study of the Conflict in Israel and Palestine Social media increasingly shapes the way in which we perceive conflicts and conflict parties abroad. Conflict parties therefore have started using social media strategically to influence public opinion abroad. This book explores the phenomenon by examining (1) which strategies of external communication conflict parties use during asymmetric conflicts and (2) what shapes the selection of these communication strategies. In a comprehensive case study of the conflict in Israel and Palestine Bernd Hirschberger shows that the selection of strategies of external communication is shaped by the (asymmetric) conflict structure Frontmatter Contents 1. Introduction 2. Conceptualization 3. Theory – Explaining the selection of strategies of external communication 4. Case selection research design & methodology Empirics I – Identifying strategies of externalcommunication in the conflict in Israel and Palestine 5. Empirics I – Identifying strategies of external communication in the conflict in Israel and Palestine Empirics II – The impact of the operational environment on the selection of the strategy of external communication in the conflict in Israel and Palestine 6. Empirics II – Interests 7. Empirics II – Opportunities 8. Empirics II – Crisis communication and alternative explanations 9. Conclusions 10. Literature and sources