Voices of the New Arab Public: Iraq, al-Jazeera, and Middle East Politics Today [Paperback]

Marc Lynch (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0231134495 | ISBN-13: 978-0231134491 | Publication Date: August 10, 2007

Al-Jazeera and other satellite television stations have transformed Arab politics over the last decade. By shattering state control over information and giving a platform to long-stifled voices, these new Arab media have challenged the status quo by encouraging open debate about Iraq, Palestine, Islamism, Arab identity, and other vital political and social issues. These public arguments have redefined what it means to be Arab and reshaped the realm of political possibility. As Marc Lynch shows, the days of monolithic Arab opinion are over. How Arab governments and the United States engage this newly confident and influential public sphere will profoundly shape the future of the Arab world.Marc Lynch draws on interviews conducted in the Middle East and analyses of Arab satellite television programs, op-ed pages, and public opinion polls to examine the nature, evolution, and influence of the new Arab public sphere. Lynch, who pays close attention to what is actually being said and talked about in the Arab world, takes the contentious issue of Iraq-which has divided Arabs like no other issue-to show how the media revolutionized the formation and expression of public opinion. He presents detailed discussions of Arab arguments about sanctions and the 2003 British and American invasion and occupation of Iraq. While Arabs strongly disagreed about Saddam's regime, they increasingly saw the effects of sanctions as a potent symbol of the suffering of all Arabs. Anger and despair over these sanctions shaped Arab views of America, their governments, and themselves. Lynch also suggests how the United States can develop and improve its engagement with the Arab public sphere. He argues that the United States should move beyond treating the Arab public sphere as either an enemy to be defeated or an object to be manipulated via public relations. Instead of wasting vast sums of money on a satellite television station nobody watches, the United States should enter the public sphere as it really exists.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In Voices of the New Arab Public... Marc Lynch does an excellent job of appraising the impact of this change." -- Philip Seib " Voices of the New Arab Public is a closely argued and highly provocative study." -- John R. Bradley, Newsweek "No other has addressed the intersection between the media and the prospects for social change in such a meaningful way." -- Sally Bland, Jordan Times "Lynch's authoritative and exciting book, rooted in local knowledge, urgently demands that we engage with this modern Arab world." -- Jean Seaton, New Statesman "This study is lucidly written, and an excellent discussion of the true nature of the Arab media and opinion... Highly recommended." -- Choice "Lynch offers a fascinating study of the history, present day, and future of new voices flourishing in the middle east." -- Michael J. Carson, The Midwest Book Review "A highly scholarly study, extensively researched, well documented, and lucidly written, combining a wealth of data and keen analysis." -- Mahmud A. Faksh, Perspectives on Politics "A wonderful read." -- Soek-Fang Sim, Global Media and Communication "A must-read work for anyone interested in political communication, civil society, democratization or transformation process in Arab societies." -- Carola Richter, Transnational Broadcasting Studies "Lynch has performed a methodological breakthrough." -- Jon W. Anderson, Middle East Studies Journal "A great read for readers who want a Western scholar's insight on the trends of the new Arab public." -- Tal Azran, Melbourne University, Meida International Australia "A worthwhile read for academics and policy makers alike." -- Joana Odencrantz, Middle East Policy "An empirically rich and challenging statement about the political effects of the "new media."

Review

Voices of the New Arab Public is an unusually compelling book that examines a crucial issue for the Arab world, Europe, and the United States. Marc Lynch's clear and persuasive arguments add vividness and immediacy to discussions of the role of Iraq in the emergence of an Arab public sphere. The events of September 2001 and those following the invasion of Iraq make an understanding of this issue particularly urgent.

(Dale F. Eickelman, Dartmouth College, coeditor of New Media in the Muslim World: The Emerging Public Sphere 2/5/2006) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press (August 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0231134495
• ISBN-13: 978-0231134491
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,655 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Way the Arab World Sees the News, April 17, 2006

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Voices of the New Arab Public: Iraq, al-Jazeera, and Middle East Politics Today (Hardcover)

'To see ourselves as others see us' (from Robert Burns) is not something that we are usually granted. In today's world Al-Jazeera is presenting us with that opportunity.

The Arab world is for the most part characterised by leadership that is less than ideal. In most Arab countries the news is heavily censored, controled or owned by a state that just wants its own views to be shown. These media had relatively little to tell us as they were simply parroting the governments view. ==In recent years, Al-Jazeera and other smaller satellite based news agencies have begun presenting a relatively unbiased news report that goes around the official government reporting.

This book is first a report on Al-Jazeera and the way it presents the news. Second, it offers a series of suggestions on how the United States can develop and improve its engagement with the Arab public sphere.

This is one of the few books to report on the Arab view, and further to discuss the changes in the information dissemination area. It is a book that deserves reading by anyone interested in developing a realistic view of the conflict that is emerging between the US and the Arab world.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating study of the history, present day, and future of new voices flourishing in the middle east, April 7, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Voices of the New Arab Public: Iraq, al-Jazeera, and Middle East Politics Today (Hardcover)

Voices of the New Arab Public: Iraq, Al-Jazeera, and Middle East Politics Today boldly reveals that the era of monolithic Arab opinion are over. Examining how Al-Jazeera and other satellite television stations have revolutionized Arab journalism and politics by breaking state control over information, Voices of the New Arab Public particularly focuses upon the Al-Jazeera era in context of the challenges facing modern Iraq. Political science professor Marc Lynch offers a fascinating study of the history, present day, and future of new voices flourishing in the middle east.