DIGITAL NATIONALISM AND HYBRID WAR:SOCIAL MEDIA AS A TOOL FOR STRATEGIC POLARIZATION

Abstract

Hybrid warfare has redefined modern conflict by shifting battlegrounds from physical territory to digital information environments where identities, emotions, and narratives are strategically manipulated. This study investigates how digital nationalism functions as an instrument of hybrid warfare in South Asia, with a focus on India-Pakistan tensions. Using a qualitative research design, the study analyzed 1,200 social media posts related to major geopolitical flashpoints such as the Pulwama attack and Balakot airstrikes, alongside thirty semi-structured interviews with journalists, students, and digital activists. Thematic analysis revealed five dominant mechanisms through which digital nationalism operates: emotional mobilization and the performance of patriotic duty, enemy construction and moral polarization, algorithmic amplification of conflict narratives, symbolic violence through memes and humor, and coordinated influence operations. Findings show that social media transforms conflict into an emotionally charged participatory spectacle, mobilizing citizens as ideological actors and reinforcing militarized identity boundaries through emotional contagion, symbolic propaganda, and algorithmic visibility. Digital nationalism, therefore, becomes a strategic tool within hybrid warfare aimed at shaping public perception, deepening polarization, and undermining possibilities for peace. The study concludes that hybrid warfare in South Asia is not merely fought through military strategy but through narrative control and cognitive influence. Strengthening digital literacy, transparency in political communication, and cross-border information governance is essential for mitigating digitally engineered hostility and promoting sustainable conflict resolution.