"Around the developing world, political leaders face a dilemma: the very information and communication technologies that boost economic fortunes also undermine power structures. Globally, one in ten internet users is a Muslim living in a populous Muslim community. In these countries, young people ar
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e developing their political identities—including a transnational Muslim identity—online. In countries where political parties are illegal, the internet is the only infrastructure for democratic discourse. In others, digital technologies such as mobile phones and the internet have given key actors an information infrastructure that is independent of the state. And in countries with large Muslim communities, mobile phones and the internet are helping civil society build systems of political communication independent of the state and beyond easy manipulation by cultural or religious elites. This book looks at the role that communications technologies play in advancing democratic transitions in Muslim countries. As such, its central question is whether technology holds the potential to substantially enhance democracy. Certainly, no democratic transition has occurred solely because of the internet. But, as the book argues, no democratic transition can occur today without the internet. According to this book, the major (and perhaps only meaningful) forum for civic debate in most Muslim countries today is online. Activists both within diasporic communities and within authoritarian states—including Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan—are the drivers of this debate, which centers around issues such as the interpretation of Islamic texts, gender roles, and security issues. Drawing upon material from interviews with telecommunications policy makers and activists in Azerbaijan, Egypt, Tajikistan, and Tanzania and a comparative study of seventy-four countries with large Muslim populations, this book demonstrates that these forums have been the means to organize activist movements that have lead to successful democratic insurgencies." (Publisher description)
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"Based on a wealth of primary data collected during five years, Reality Television and Arab Politics analyzes how reality television stirred an explosive mix of religion, politics, and sexuality, fueling heated polemics over cultural authenticity, gender relations, and political participation in the
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Arab world. The controversies, Marwan M. Kraidy argues, are best understood as a social laboratory in which actors experiment with various forms of modernity, continuing a long-standing Arab preoccupation with specifying terms of engagement with Western modernity. Women and youth take center stage in this process. Against the backdrop of dramatic upheaval in the Middle East, this book challenges the notion of a monolithic “Arab Street” and offers an original perspective on Arab media, shifting attention away from a narrow focus on al-Jazeera and toward a vibrant media sphere that compels broad popular engagement and contentious political performance." (Publisher description)
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"This is a comparative case study of the church-run, Radio Maria and non church-run, Radio Explorers in the Eastern Province of Zambia. The work compares and contrasts the (1) content and management of the stations, (2) the process of selection of programmes and content development, and (3) accessib
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ility. The core purpose of this intense comparison is to contribute to the further understanding of whether faith-based broadcasting or non-faith based stations offer greater community participation and sense of ownership. To achieve this goal, the study employed triangulation. A total of 200 people were interviewed for quantitative data collection. Focus group and in-depth interviews provided invaluable additional information and insights. The outcome of the research indicates that there is no substantive difference between the sense of ownership and management between the two stations. Quantitative findings were high for both. For example, 83 percent of the respondents said Radio Explorers was accessible and 75 percent said the same of Radio Maria. Qualitative responses in focus group discussions and in-depth interviews revealed similar patterns. However, findings indicate that church-run are more participatory than nonchurch run radio stations. These findings indicate that there is essentially no difference in the operations of faith-based radio stations and the non-church stations." (Abstract)
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"Mit den Rundfunknetzwerken der römisch-katholischen Kirche in Venezuela und der Frage, inwieweit Charakteristiken eines öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkideals realisiert werden können, befasst sich dieser Beitrag. Die Hauptthese lautet, dass Rundfunk mit einem öffentlich-rechtlichen Anspruch in
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Venezuela nicht vom Staat, sondern durch andere Institutionen und Organisationen, wie zum Beispiel die römisch-katholische Kirche, wahrgenommen und ausgeübt wird. Im Gegensatz zu gängigen Erwartungen konzentrieren sich diese Anstalten nicht nur auf einen Missionsauftrag, sondern bieten in einigen Fällen öffentlich-rechtliche Inhalte, die westlichen Standards Stand halten. Radiosender wie zum Beispiel Fe y Alegría (Glaube und Freude) und Fernsehsender wie Niños Cantores del Zulia (NCTV) offerieren Programme, deren Inhalte in die von John Reith für die BBC definierten Aufgaben von Bildung, Information und Unterhaltung passen. Die katholische Kirche verfügt in Venezuela über ein weitläufiges Rundfunknetzwerk, das elf UKW- und Mittelwelle-Radiosender sowie einen Fernsehsender (NCTV) umfasst. Darüber hinaus arbeitet das Radionetzwerk Fe y Alegría mit zwanzig weiteren Sendern zusammen. Was diese Konstellation betrifft, ist Venezuela keineswegs ein Einzelfall. Allein in Lateinamerika besitzt die katholische Kirche eine hohe Anzahl an Print- und Rundfunkmedien. Auch andere mediale Unternehmungen wie familienorientierte Theater und Medien auf kommunaler Ebene gehören ihr oder werden finanziell unterstützt. In Bolivien galt die katholische Nachrichtenagentur Fides für lange Zeit als eine der wenigen glaubwürdigen Quellen. Dies trifft ebenso auf den chilenischen Fernsehsender Kanal 13 zu, der sich im Besitz der katholischen Kirche befindet. Allerdings scheinen öffentlich-rechtliche Inhalte vor allem in Venezuela umgesetzt zu werden. Radiostationen wie Fe y Alegría und La Voz de la Fe und Fernsehsender wie Niños Cantores del Zulia waren und sind auch heute noch von entscheidender Bedeutung im Hinblick auf die Umsetzung öffentlich-rechtlicher Rundfunkideale. Sie bringen familienorientierte Programme, fördern eine gemeinsame, landesweite Wertevorstellung, unterstützten Tausende (wenn nicht Hunderttausende) beim Erlernen von Lesen und Schreiben und vermitteln Wissen darüber, wie man das Land bearbeitet und ausgewogen und gesünder lebt." (Seite 148-149)
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"This innovative, interdisciplinary collection of essays by scholars based in Europe and the United States offers stimulating approaches to the role played by religion in present-day South Asia." (Publisher description)
"O presente estudo trata da emergência de um novo tipo de comunidade, a “comunidade midiática de vida no Espírito”, sustentada em vínculos de pertença construídos e mantidos midiaticamente. As “comunidades de vida no Espírito” são associações de católicos carismáticos que, normal
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mente sob a liderança de um fundador ou fundadora, buscam viver a comunhão de bens cujo modelo é a comunidade cristã primitiva. Tomamos como referencial empírico para análise do fenômeno a Comunidade Canção Nova, pois embora territorialmente situada, expande-se, sobretudo por meio da televisão, agregando pessoas que passam a compartilhar de sua ideologia religiosa e desenvolvem “relações comunitárias midiáticas”. Conquanto defendam fontes autônomas de conhecimento quase sempre baseadas na tradição, estas comunidades adaptam-se facilmente às demandas da contemporaneidade, não raras vezes lançando mão dos avanços tecnológicos em seu favor e inserindo-se criativamente no contexto cultural da sociedade informacional. A pesquisa mostrou que a Comunidade Midiática Canção Nova restringe apenas parcialmente a autonomia dos indivíduos, criando as condições para que se estabeleça uma relação de equilíbrio entre comunidade e individualidade. Sugerimos que neste novo contexto gerado pelas tecnologias da informação e pela midiatização da sociedade, as comunidades tendem a estar em permanente confronto positivo, obrigando-se umas às outras a refletirem frequentemente cada qual sobre a plausibilidade de seu sistema particular de valores. No seu conjunto, procura-se demonstrar que a reflexividade moderna não destruiu as relações do tipo “comunitárias”, e que o fenômeno comunitário contemporâneo é “moderno” na acepção sociológica do termo. Sustentamos ainda que a emergência de comunas culturais não é apenas um novo modo de manter fontes autônomas de conhecimento em oposição ao globalismo homogeneizante, mas também uma tentativa de preservação da conquista da autonomia individual como valor inquestionável da modernidade." (Resumo)
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"This book looks at religion in a transnational and global context and presents a systematic account of the methods undertaken by modern day missionaries to convert people. The author seeks to understand the outworking of the American phenomenon of televangelism in India, in a new historical, cultur
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al, religious, political and economic setting. He likens global televangelism to 'McDonaldisation', because of its standardised, 'one size fits all' approach. 'Glocal' televangelism - the fusion of the American and Indian evangelism - is referred to as 'Masala McGospel' because of the overwhelming presence of the global, American grammar and logic in the presentation and style of these programmes in India. The author then goes on to show how a disjunction is being created in Hindu televangelism because of such blending of American techniques with the holiness of ancient scriptures, making them subservient to the modern day aspirations of globalisation and consumerism." (Publisher description)
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"[...] This book is not necessarily an effort at a highly theoretical exploration but a deeply practical application of the power of communication for updating and renewal of the universal church, more particularly that of India. The phenomenon of Church becoming irrelevant and abandon
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ed in the modern world is the backdrop of the whole study as Srampickal has chosen. So in the first part he makes a self-reflection and critical observation of the present day Church ministry styles and explores more into the background of mental attitudes and value systems sustainedby the church leadership and zealous missionary workers. The defective strategy and style of Church’s communication is found as the root reason for this. The challenge and chances of developing a Communication Theology is the first part of his positive exposition. When the Church becomes a real communicating community the envisioned spiritual ideologies of Christ, will be accepted and appreciated by the global society. He observes that the Church has produced excellent documents regarding communications in the world. Only problem he identifies is that they are practiced neither in the higher official levels nor in the ordinary practical levels. How can this be corrected through the smart and balanced utilization of modern media technology is elaborated in the second part. His thesis that ‘Communications Can Renew the Church’ is convincingly proved with ease and excellence in this book. For him communication is all about more participation of all in managing the church which can surely create a sense of belonging and intimate relations within the church." (Book review by John Edappilly, in: Asian Horizons, vol 4, nr 2, pages 379-380)
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"Religious forwarded messages take the form of points for reflection and reminders of religious feasts. In other cases, the messages ask recipients to pray and re-send the same messages in exchange for Divine favor. This study explores the youth's first response to these messages. It aims to learn u
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seful insights that may enhance pastoral ministry for young people, so immersed in cell phone use. The findings show that religious SMS help remind young people of God. But they do not attribute the messages to Divine Providence alone. Response to religious SMS results from an interplay of factors, including the sender himself." (Abstract)
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"This article introduces issues associated with Islamic apps for mobile devices, and surveys some of the products that have emerged into the market. It considers the potential impact of mobile phone interfaces in relation to interpretations of Islam and the use of Islamic resources, given that mobil
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e devices have widened potential audiences for online materials in various forms, especially in areas where other forms of digital access may be more problematic. The article also explores some of the religious and ethical concerns associated with mobile phone use." (Abstract)
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"This study investigates Pope Benedict’s visit to Turkey as a global media event. The presentation includes the interaction between the global and the local in mass communication studies. The argument is that this visit makes visible some contradictions such as: East/West, EU/Turkey, Christian/Mus
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lim, Catholic/Orthodox. Before this trip, it was presupposed that these contradictions and stereotypes reinforced by the media were to set the agenda; however, it did not happen to be the case. Instead, the existing frames had been replaced by the new ones, which was called a frame shift in news reporting. The discourse method is used to prove this hypothesis. Data were collected during the trip and the visual materials helped in building our theoretical perspective. The aim is to observe the handling of this media event by Western press. Within this perspective, our sample had been formed by pioneering newspapers: Le Monde, Le Figaro, La Libération, The Guardian, The New York Times, Financial Times, Der Spiegel, BBC on-line and Time (magazine)." (Abstract)
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"I have primarily looked at how Radio Selam, an Ethiopian peace radio programme run by the local Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY), might have been constrained by four spheres of influence. The spheres I looked at encapsulated certain organizational, individual, economic and politica
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l influences. Given my number of corroborating sources and the similarities to research presented in the theory chapter, I feel I have shown that it is plausible that all four spheres generally influence and also constrain the project." (Conclusion, page 110)
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