1st Edition

Political Islam and Global Media The boundaries of religious identity

Edited By Noha Mellor, Khalil Rinnawi Copyright 2016
    300 Pages 9 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    300 Pages 9 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    The development of new and social networking sites, as well as the growth of transnational Arab television, has triggered a debate about the rise in transnational political and religious identification, as individuals and groups negotiate this new triad of media, religion and culture.

    This book examines the implications of new media on the rise of political Islam and on Islamic religious identity in the Arab Middle East and North Africa, as well as among Muslim Arab Diasporas. Undoubtedly, the process of globalization, especially in the field of media and ICTs, challenges the cultural and religious systems, particularly in terms of identity formation. Across the world, Arab Muslims have embraced new media not only as a source of information but also as a source of guidance and fatwas, thereby transforming Muslim practices and rituals. This volume brings together chapters from a range of specialists working in the field, presenting a variety of case studies on new media, identity formation and political Islam in Muslim communities both within and beyond the MENA region.

    Offering new insight into the influence of media exposure on national, political, and cultural boundaries of the Islamic identity, this book is a valuable resource for students and scholars of Middle Eastern politics, specifically political Islam and political communication.

    Introduction – Noha Mellor Part I: The Rise of Political Islam 1 Legitimate Singularities – Ratiba Hadj-Moussa & Samar Ben Romdhane 2 Social Media as the New identity Battleground – Noureddine Miladi 3 Online Aesthetics of Martyrdome – Magdalena Karolak 4 ISIS and Saudi Arabia – Andrew Hammond 4 Friday Khutba Without Borders – Ehab Galal Part II: Religious Activism 5 The Online Response to the Quran Burning Incidents – Ahmed Rawi 6 Working Around the State – Deborah L. Wheeler 7 Religious Minorities in Cyberspace – Dalia Yousef & Rasha Abdulla 8 British Arab Youth – Khalil Al-Agha 9 The Revival of Muslim Identity versus Arab Identity – Khalil Rinnawi Part III: Mediated Islamic Practices 10 The new Saudi Nationalism of the New Saudi Media – Gilbert Ramsay & Sumayah Fatani 11 What is Happening: The Dynamics of the Saudi Twitterverse – Mohammad Ibrahrine 12 The Neo-Liberal Islamic Preachers – Nermeen Alazrak & Alamira Samah Saleh 13 Fatwas Online – Roxanne D. Marcotte 14 How Islamic is Islam Online Counselling? – Mona Abdel Fadil 15 Islam in the News – Mohammed-Ali Abunajela & Noha Mellor

    Biography

    Noha Mellor is Professor of Media at the University of Bedfordshire, United Kingdom. She has authored several books as well as journal articles about Arab media.

    Khalil Rinnawi is Lecturer at the College of Management in Tel Aviv, Israel.