Media and Democracy in the Middle East
London; New York: Routledge (2024), 176 pp.
Contains index
ISBN 9781032101286 (hbk); 9781003214625 (ebook)
"Since the outburst and spread of what was known as the ‘Arab Uprisings’ in 2010, the political and media landscapes in the Middle East region have dramatically changed. The initial hope for democratic change and governance quality improvements has faded, as several regimes in the Middle East have strengthened their repressive tactics toward voices deemed critical of governments’ practices, including journalists, bloggers, and activists. The crumbling Arab media scene has also reached an abysmal low, with little to no independence, and public perception of basic freedoms in the region has significantly dropped, as has trust in media and government institutions. This book examines current challenges to media freedom, political participation, and democratisation in the region while reassessing the dynamic relationship between media use and political engagement, amidst a complex political environment accompanied by a rapidly changing digital media landscape." (Publisher description)
Introduction: The State of Media and Democracy in the MENA Region / Nael Jebril and Mohammed-Ali Abunajela, 1
1 Freedom of Expression in the Post-Arab Spring Countries / Nael Jebril and Emad Moussa, 18
2 The Collapse of Social Media-Based Movements and the Dilemma of Democracy in Egypt / Mostafa Shehata, 30
3 Social Media and Social Change in Jordan / Muna Al Taweel, 43
4 Cracking Down on Media and Democracy in Lebanon: The October 17 Uprising / Michael Huijer, 54
5 Citizenship, Media, and Activism in Turkey during Gezi Park Protests / Eylem Yanardagoglu, 70
6 Political Laugh on Social Media: An Analysis of Humorous Participation in Turkey / Gülsah Baslar, 80
7 Cultural Identity in Libyan and Yemeni Social Media Visual Art: The Expression of Transcultural Identity in Countries of Conflict / Safea Altef, 100
8 Saudi Women Journalists: An Ethnographic Study Exploring their Roles and Practices in an Age of National Transformation / Amal Almoualed, 118
9 Democratising the Media: Media Reform and The Future of Journalism in Egypt / Dalia Elsheikh, Nael Jebril, and Daniel Jackson, 130
10 Memory as a Human Right: Palestinian Memory and Israel’s Modes of Forgetting / Emad Moussa, 147
1 Freedom of Expression in the Post-Arab Spring Countries / Nael Jebril and Emad Moussa, 18
2 The Collapse of Social Media-Based Movements and the Dilemma of Democracy in Egypt / Mostafa Shehata, 30
3 Social Media and Social Change in Jordan / Muna Al Taweel, 43
4 Cracking Down on Media and Democracy in Lebanon: The October 17 Uprising / Michael Huijer, 54
5 Citizenship, Media, and Activism in Turkey during Gezi Park Protests / Eylem Yanardagoglu, 70
6 Political Laugh on Social Media: An Analysis of Humorous Participation in Turkey / Gülsah Baslar, 80
7 Cultural Identity in Libyan and Yemeni Social Media Visual Art: The Expression of Transcultural Identity in Countries of Conflict / Safea Altef, 100
8 Saudi Women Journalists: An Ethnographic Study Exploring their Roles and Practices in an Age of National Transformation / Amal Almoualed, 118
9 Democratising the Media: Media Reform and The Future of Journalism in Egypt / Dalia Elsheikh, Nael Jebril, and Daniel Jackson, 130
10 Memory as a Human Right: Palestinian Memory and Israel’s Modes of Forgetting / Emad Moussa, 147
