Bullets and Bulletins

Media and Politics in the Wake of the Arab Uprisings

edited by Mohamed Zayani and Suzi Mirgani

Looks at the role of traditional and new media in the Middle East
Rigorous case studies of the key countries of the Arab Spring
Assesses the new media's impact on the Arab world, especially in the political sphere
Considers how both government authorities and protestors used communication technologies both to silence and amplify dissent

Bullets and Bulletins

Media and Politics in the Wake of the Arab Uprisings

edited by Mohamed Zayani and Suzi Mirgani

Description

In 2010-2011, the Middle East witnessed unprecedented revolutionary changes that set the region on a new and uncertain course. What added significantly to the amplification of demands and grievances in Arab streets and squares was the dovetailing of an increasingly indignant population--ignited by years of economic and political marginalization--with high rates of media literacy, digital connectivity, and social media prowess. This combination of political activism and mediated communication turned popular street protests into battles over information, where authorities and activists wrestled with each other over media messages.
Bullets and Bulletins offers original insights into the role of traditional and new media in what is undoubtedly a critical period in contemporary Middle Eastern history. It takes a sobering look at the intersections between media and politics before, during, and after the Arab uprisings. Drawing on in-depth case studies from throughout the Middle East and North Africa region, the book explores how the uprisings were accompanied by profound changes in the roles of traditional and new media, and how these changing dynamics played out during the region's uneasy transition.

Bullets and Bulletins

Media and Politics in the Wake of the Arab Uprisings

edited by Mohamed Zayani and Suzi Mirgani

1. The State of Arab Media in the Wake of the Arab Uprisings — Suzi Mirgani

Part I: Arab Media in Transition

2. On the Entangled Question of Media and Politics in the Middle East —Mohamed Zayani

3. A Comparative Analysis of Traditional Media Industry Transitions in Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt — Fatima el Issawi

4. The Culture of Arab Journalism — Naila Hamdy

Part II: Space and the Cultural Production of Arab Media

5. Narratives and the Syrian Uprising: The Role of Stories in Political Activism and Identity Struggles — Dina Matar

6. Public Space, Street Art, and Communication in the Arab Uprisings — Marwan Kraidy

7. Change and Continuity in Arab Media: A Political Economy of Media Cities — Joe Khalil
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Part III: Media, State Interests, and Non-State Actors

8. Framing Political Islam: Media Tropes and Power Struggles in Revolutionary Egypt — Abeer AlNajjar

9. Hezbollah, Al Manar, and the Arab Revolts: Defiance or Survival? — Zahera Harb

10. U.S. Public Diplomacy and the Media in the Middle East — Philip Seib

Bullets and Bulletins

Media and Politics in the Wake of the Arab Uprisings

edited by Mohamed Zayani and Suzi Mirgani

Reviews and Awards

"Bullets and Bulletins: Media and Politics in the Wake of the Arab Uprisings is an essential reading for not only scholars focused on Arab world, but also for anyone who cares about the relationship between media and politics in nondemocratic contexts." -- Bahtiyar Kurambayev, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly journal

"A good contribution to academia when it comes to the media use and communication in a changing political order." -- European Review of International Studies

"This collection offers a compelling challenge to communication scholarship that assumes simplistic political dynamics and mediated strategies. Collectively these chapters demonstrate critical analyses of diversity within recent Arab protests, neither unthinkingly celebrating nor cynically dismissing them, but instead considering the complexities engaged through mediated and public spaces. Thoughtful and engaging detail make this a significant contribution to political communication." -- Karin Gwinn Wilkins, Director, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, University of Texas at Austin

"Media in the Arab world have always been seen by government as a potentially subversive force, as the Arab Awakening was to demonstrate. We were rarely aware, however, of the real potential, even after satellite television had emerged. This book, a study of the Arab media in the widest sense, by specialists in the field, amply fills that void, capturing the excitement and political engagement that has erupted over the past five years, despite the disappointments and vicissitudes of events there." -- George Joffé, Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Cambridge