Framing Resistance: Facebook Narratives and Political Identity during Pakistan’s 2023 Imran Khan Crisis

Abstract

Purpose:The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how Facebook influenced political narratives, identity formation, and civic engagement during Pakistan’s 2023 political crisis following Imran Khan’s arrest, using qualitative interviews to understand how politically active users framed events, expressed opinions, and mobilized within the digital landscape. Theory: This thesis is grounded in Framing Theory (Entman, 1993), which explains how individuals construct meaning around political events through selective emphasis and narrative shaping, and is further informed by Political Identity Theory: which explores how social media platforms like Facebook reinforce group affiliation, ideological alignment, and political self-expression during moments of national crisis. Method: This study employed a qualitative case study method, using semi-structured interviews with 15 politically active Facebook users to explore how social media shaped political narratives, identity, and engagement during Pakistan’s 2023 political crisis. Findings: The study found that Facebook served as a crucial platform for political expression, identity reinforcement, and narrative framing during the 2023 crisis, with PTI supporters portraying Imran Khan’s arrest as authoritarian repression, while opposition and neutral users framed it as legal accountability, reflecting deep political polarization and digitally driven civic engagement.