INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Arab Insight Winter 2008: Emerging Social & Religious Trends

25 January 2008

New transformations are taking place throughout the Arab world. In the Winter 2008 issue of Arab Insight, Arab scholars offer in-depth analysis of a number of social and religious trends emerging in the region.

We live in a fast-paced global era in which the interconnectedness and smallness of the world have become increasingly apparent. But access to information in today's world has not yet eliminated the many cultural misunderstandings between Western and Arab societies. From the outside observer, it appears as if the Arab world is abundant with contradictions. While new technologies are being openly embraced, political and cultural stagnation remains, particularly with regards to women's rights, liberal reform movements and freedom of expression. It is because of these inconsistencies that the third issue of Arab Insight has chosen to explore the emerging social and religious trends from the region.

This issue offers in-depth analysis of a number of developments within the Arab world, from the widening use of the Internet and new technology in religious expression, to women's reform movements in the Gulf and arms proliferation inside Yemen. While the essays in this issue speak to regional and even global trends, they also address the diversity and the heterogeneity of the Arab world, its disparate political, social and economic climates, and the different ways in which change emerges and reform occurs.

The electronic version of this issue is available for free on our website: www.arabinsight.org, or by downloading the full PDF here.

To subscribe to the free electronic version of Arab Insight, click here.

 

Arab Insight, Vol. 2, No. 1, Winter 2008: Emerging Social & Religious Trends

I. Online Islam

• "The Internet is the New Mosque: Fatwa at the Click of a Mouse"
  Abdallah et-Tahawy, Journalist at Islam Online; Egypt
  
• "Da'wa for Dollars: A New Wave of Muslim Televangelists"
  Al-Sayed Zaied, Journalist; Egypt
  
• "Brotherhood Bloggers: A New Generation Voices Dissent"
  Khalil al-Anani, Editor of Al-Siyassa Al-Dawliya and Author of The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt: Race Against Time; Egypt
  
• "Dear John: Letter from a Saudi Blogger"
  Mosfer bin Saleh al-Wadee, Blogger, Journalist, and Pro-Reform Activist; Saudi Arabia

2. Gulf Women Speak Out

• "Saudi Women's Rights: Stuck at a Red Light"
  Asmaa al-Mohamed, Journalist and Women's Rights Activist, Online Editor for Al Arabiya; Saudi Arabia
  
• "Kuwaiti Women's Tepid Political Awakening"
  Haila al-Mekaimi, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Kuwait; Kuwait

3. Arab Liberalism

• "From Arabization to Arrogance: The Crisis of Arab Liberalism"
  Tayeb Bouazza, Professor of Philosophy, Writer; Morocco
  
• "Political Stagnation in Jordon: Liberalism Falls Short"
  Mohammed Abu Rumman, Editor of Al-Ghad Daily Newspaper and Expert on Jordanian Political Reform; Jordan

4. Selected Essays

• "Armed and Dangerous: Arms Proliferation Inside Yemen"
  Ahmed Zein, Journalist; Yemen
  
• "Arab Funnies Get Serious: Arab Cartoons Bash America"
  Bissan Edwan, Researcher, Arabs Against Discrimination; Palestinian Territories
  
• "Syria's Crisis of Expression"
  Akram al-Bunni, Researcher; Syria

Visit our website: www.arabinsight.org.

To learn more about WSI Cairo, click here.

To learn how to advertise in this journal, e-mail Ron Hinrichs, Editorial Coordinator, .

To submit articles, letters or commentary, please contact the editor: Mohamed Elmenshawy , WSI Cairo Office Director, 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW , Washington , DC 20036; e-mail: .

Comments