Abstract
This thesis is based on six months of ethnographic fieldwork among a group of environmentalists in Kuala Lumpur. I explore how civil society in Malaysia dealt with government restrictions, and focus on their negotiations concerning the political debate during the 14th General Election by asking; In what ways can social media be a weapon for civil society to mobilize and resist against a suppressing regime. The case I have used to investigate this question is an NGO called Zero Waste Malaysia. I reflect on what happened when the group had to be aware of the public position they took in the public sphere and raise larger issues connected to resistance and identity. My argument is that a strong collective imaginary, alternative to national identity, derived from a condition of marginality. The lack of power to play an active role within the nation, lead my interlocutors to identify more strongly with groups closer to their everyday experience, of which they feel like they have more control. I emphasize the importance of the social networks that grew from this grouping and how it created an imagined community through the use of social media. The sense of belonging that derived from such practices is significant to the members of the group as it allows for a higher degree of participation in the public sphere.