The New Arab Cyberscape Redefining Boundaries and Reconstructing Public Spheres

Abstract

This chapter analyzes the new Arab media landscape, with a special focus on the growing influence of the Internet in redefining boundaries and reconstructing public spheres in contemporary Arab societies. This includes: preserving authentic cultural norms and religious values while opening the door for more modern and liberal influences; appealing to a pan-Arab audience with its own regional interests and cultural specificities while addressing a broader, transnational audience; asserting conformity and compliance with existing political order and traditional authorities while fueling resistance and public discontent; and engaging in confrontations with external forces and international powers while advocating dialogue and engaging in media diplomacy. Special attention is paid to how and why this complex and hybrid Arab cyberscape may overlap with, or diverge from, the Habermasian notion of the public sphere. These similarities and differences are explored and examined in light of three contemporary challenges confronting the Arab cyberscape: democratization, dialogue, and diaspora.