New media in the Muslim world
All topics-
Press in PakistanStudents switch off from media careers
Journalism schools in Pakistan have been reporting low enrolment. Teachers say poor job prospects and industry issues are discouraging students from pursuing media careers
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Dangerous Instagram?Iraqi LGBTQ+ community loses safe space
It was always double-edged, but in Iraq, social media was often a comparatively safe place where the local queer community could meet. Recent amendments to Iraqi law are changing all that
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Pakistan election aftermathWhat next for Indo-Pakistan relations?
Islamabad's frail new ruling coalition will need the blessing of Pakistan's military before attempting to improve ties with New Delhi
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Indonesia's presidential electionK-Pop not Islam
This year's Valentine's Day saw a presidential election in Indonesia, the world's third-largest democracy. Conservative-Islamic morals and panic-mongering tactics took a back seat on social media channels filled with music, cat videos…and elderly presidential hopefuls dancing
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Turkey local elections and Internet censorshipErdogan's grand plan
Ahead of the local elections in March 2024, Turkey is facing increased Internet censorship, with the government blocking web pages and VPN services. The move is part of Erdogan's strategy to regain control over major cities
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Palestine's cultural heritageThe first digital Palestinian embroidery database
Award-winning entrepreneur Zain Masri has so far digitised about 1,000 traditional Palestinian cross-stitch patterns, now available for download from her platform, Tirazain
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Middle East misinformationTech firms struggle as Israel-Gaza falsehoods explode
From fake accounts impersonating journalists to war-themed video games fuelling false narratives, tech platforms are struggling to contain a tsunami of misinformation around Palestinian-Israeli hostilities after rolling back content moderation policies
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Lessons from the earthquake in MoroccoEarthquake a turning point for Morocco?
A wave of solidarity swept across Moroccan society in the wake of the recent earthquake. However, the disaster also revealed serious shortcomings in the state's institutions. Political analyst Ali Anouzla explains what lessons can be learned
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Transnational repressionWhy a friendlier Middle East is more dangerous for activists
Authoritarian governments often harass and hinder their critics, even if those people are outside the country. As former enemies become friends in the Middle East, will they cooperate to shut down opposition voices? By Cathrin Schaer
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Netflix series "Queen Cleopatra"Controversial patchwork history
The decision by Netflix' latest documentary series to portray Cleopatra as an Egyptian and thereby an African ruler is partly aimed at rehabilitating her as a historical figure. But good intentions don't always produce good results, as Shady Lewis Botros argues
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Iran protestsWhat the Islamic Republic's propaganda tells us
Challenging one of the Islamic Republic's most identifiable symbols – the hijab – with some breathtaking, iconographic feminist art, Iran's activists have wrested ownership away from the clerics with regard to who represents the nation, defines its present and shapes its future. Essay by Kevin L. Schwartz & Olmo Goelz
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Freedom of expressionEgypt’s female social media influencers face arrest
Charged with "inciting debauchery" and "violating family values": Last week, Egyptian TikTok celebrity Salma Elshimy became the latest in a growing list of women to fall foul of the Egyptian authorities over social media posts
