The Political Impact of New Media in the Middle East A Conversation with “Abu Aardvark” (April 21, 2009)
New media technologies have reshaped political communications throughout the Middle East. Marc Lynch, widely known by his nom de blog, Abu Aardvark, looked at a variety of digital phenomena, from strikes in Egypt organized on Facebook and blogging by members of the Muslim Brotherhood, to online citizen journalism in Jordan and Internet feuds in the Iraqi insurgency. Lynch assessed the significance of these phenomena and how they threaten—or tacitly support—the prevailing power structure in the Middle East.
Journalist Mohamad Bazzi interviewed Lynch. Open Society Fellow Evgeny Morozov introduced the event.
Note: The audio for this event has been edited.