Blogistan: The Internet and Politics in Iran (International Library of Iranian Studies)

The protests unleashed by Iran's disputed presidential election in June 2009 brought the Islamic Republic's vigorous cyber culture to the world's attention. Iran has an estimated 700,000 bloggers, and new media such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube were thought to have played a key role in spreading news of the protests. The internet is often celebrated as an agent of social change in countries like Iran, but most literature on the subject has struggled to grasp what this new phenomenon actually means. How is it different from print culture[unk] Is it really a new public sphere[unk] Will the Iranian blogosphere create a culture of dissidence, which eventually overpowers the Islamist regime[unk] In this groundbreaking work, the authors give a flavour of contemporary internet culture in Iran and analyse how this new form of communication is affecting the social and political life of the country. Although they warn against stereotyping bloggers as dissidents, they argue that the internet is changing things in ways which neither the government nor the democracy movement could have anticipated. "Blogistan" offers both a new reading of Iranian politics and a new conceptual framework for understanding the politics of the internet, with implications for the wider Middle East, China and beyond. "When Ahmadinejad was elected President in June 2005, anxiety replaced election fever amongst many Iranians. To let off steam they told jokes. Why did the new President part his hair so straight? To segregate the male and female lice. But while the laughter died down, the anxiety never went away..."As Iran's nuclear programme accelerates, all eyes are on the blacksmith's son who could have his finger on the trigger. Who is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? What drives him? What formed him? To whom, if anyone, does he answer?Internationally acclaimed journalist Kasra Naji, a native Persian speaker, has spent years in Iran interviewing friends, family and colleagues of the firebrand President to tell for the first time the true story of how he came to power. A picture emerges far more compelling than any of the caricatures offered up so far. While Naji documents the often strange behaviour of Ahmadinejad, with his visions of the Hidden Imam and diatribes against Israel, he also shows him to be full of contradictions: a strange and complex man, at once gripped by apocalyptic beliefs, yet capable of switching spiritual allegiance in the quest for power; a man tough enough to fight street battles in the name of Ayatollah Khomeini during the revolution, who was described by former army comrades as a "coward"; and a man crude enough to invite the German Chancellor to join him in an anti-Jewish alliance, yet sophisticated enough to win the political support of the all-powerful Revolutionary Guard. The unknown Ahmadinejad - revealed here by Naji - is much more of a force to be reckoned with than the bogeyman conjured up by Washington. Naji takes us inside the shadowy council chambers of Tehran, and shows us the plots, passions and personalities that will influence Ahmadinejad's next move, while the world waits with baited breath."--Bloomsbury publishing. The Protests Unleashed By Iran's Disputed Presidential Election In June 2010 Brought The Islamic Republic's Vigorous Cyber Culture To The World's Attention. Iran Has An Estimated 700,000 Bloggers, And New I Media Such As Facebook, Twitter And Youtube Were Thought To Have Played A Key Role In Spreading News Of The Protests. The Internet Is Often Celebrated As An Agent Of Social Change In Countries Like Iran, But Most Literature On The Subject Has Struggled To Grasp What This New Phenomenon Actually Means. In This Work, The Authors Give A Flavour Of Contemporary Internet Culture In Iran And Analyse How This New Form Of Communication Is Affecting The Social And Political Life Of The Country. Although They Warn Against Stereotyping Bloggers As Dissidents, They Argue That The Internet Is Changing Things In Ways Which Neither The Government Nor The Democracy Movement Could Have Anticipated. Blogistan Offers Both A New Reading Of Iranian Politics And A New Conceptual Framework For Understanding The Politics Of The Internet, With Implications For The Wider Middle East, China And Beyond. -- Book Cover. Introduction ---- 1. The Internet In Iran: Development And Control --- 2. The Politics Of And In Blogging --- 3. Web Of Control And Censorship: State And Blogosphere In Iran --- 4. Gender, Sexuality And Blogging --- 5. Becoming Intellectual: The Blogistan And Public Political Space In The Islamic Republic --- 6. English Language/diasporic Blogs: Articulating The Inside And The Outside --- 7. Journalism, Blogging And Citizen Journalism --- 8. The Summer Of 2009. Annabelle Sreberny And Gholam Khiabany. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [199]-205) And Index. There is a great deal at stake for everyone in the future of Arab television. Political and social upheavals in this central but unsettled region are increasingly played out on television screens and in the tussles over programming that take place behind them. Al-Jazeera is of course only one player among a still-growing throng of satellite channels, which now include private terrestrial stations in some Arab states. It is an industry urgently needing to be made sense of; this book does exactly this in a very readable and authoritative way, through exploring and explaining the evolving structures and content choices in both entertainment and news of contemporary Arab television. It shows how owners, investors, journalists, presenters, production companies, advertisers, regulators and media freedom advocates influence each other in a geolinguistic marketplace that encompasses the Arab region itself and communities abroad. the book offers a timely and compelling sequel to Naomi Sakr's "Satellite Realms: Transnational Television, Globalization and the Middle East", which won the Middle Eastern Studies Book Prize in 2003