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Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research - Online First
Online First articles will be assigned issues in due course.
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Virtual Facades: Exploring the Relationship Between Self-Presentation on Facebook and Social Anxiety Among Egyptian Generation Z Users
Authors: Eslam Abdelraouf and Hussein AminAvailable online: 18 April 2024More LessThis study investigates the correlation between the ‘false-self’ – the persona presented to the public that may not accurately reflect one’s true identity – and social anxiety among Generation Z Facebook users in Egypt. An integrated methodology approach was used to explore the connection between Facebook usage, false self-presentation and social anxiety levels. Data were collected by administering a questionnaire targeting 420 Facebook users belonging to Egypt’s Generation Z demographic. The study findings demonstrate a strong positive correlation between higher Facebook usage intensity and false self-presentation. Furthermore, false self-presentation was found to be positively correlated with social anxiety. Significant gender differences in self-congruence on Facebook were revealed, supported by theories related to social norms and gender roles. These findings illustrate the potential influence of social media on gender identity and self-presentation, underscoring the need to take gender differences into account when studying the effects of social media on mental health. Additionally, significant differences in Facebook intensity and attachment between genders were revealed. This study adds to our understanding of the intricate relationship between social media use, self-presentation and mental health outcomes among Generation Z by providing insight into the risks associated with false self-presentation and high Facebook usage intensity.
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A critical inquiry into the discourses of war and occupation in the wake of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza
By Leon BarkhoAvailable online: 18 April 2024More LessThe aim of this article is to use one central assumption of Wittgenstein’s philosophy – language games – to review some important aspects of communication and language issues that typically have arisen in the aftermath of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. I draw specifically on a critical inquiry of purposefully selected samples of discursive and linguistic practices accompanying the war in Ukraine and the occupation of its territory by Russia, and the war in Gaza and the occupation of Palestinian territories by Israel. References will also be made to the types of language games used by mainstream western media to categorize other wars and occupations discursively and socially, such as those of Iraq, Yemen and Afghanistan. I argue that the use of language is crucial for the understanding and representation of these wars and occupations, and a cause of failure in intercultural interaction. The central argument is as follows: While language games have different senses and not all people attach the same meaning to them, in case of conflict and controversy, those with power attach additional or different interpretations to them in a way they think is reasonable to change or at least rearrange their meanings. According to Wittgenstein’s deliberations of language games, the meaning of each of the various linguistic utterances, like words, sentences or symbols, is defined in terms of its setting and use. To unravel how and why certain linguistic practices are reinforced, and others are thwarted, the article supplements Wittgenstein’s deliberations of language with Hollihan and Baaskes’ definition of rhetorical source credibility, Thomas Hobbes’ ‘Leviathan discourse’ and Foucault’s notion of discourse and power.
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Politics of phygital protests: Palestinian #GreatMarchofReturn discourse on Twitter
Authors: Tawseef Majeed and Ali M. AbushbakAvailable online: 20 March 2024More LessTwitter aids public discourse, hashtag activism and sociopolitical advocacy. In terms of Palestinian resistance discourse against Israel, the hashtag #GreatMarchofReturn represents a peaceful digital protest by the Palestinian refugees based in Gaza. We identified 13,000 tweets related to #GreatMarchofReturn, which we analysed using content analysis and descriptive analysis, followed by a visualization of the findings. We argue that hashtag activism facilitates the collective Palestinian protest discourse on Twitter about Israel’s oppressive diplomacies in Palestine. The activism endorses Palestinian nationalism and the mobilization of civilian rights. Moreover, the micro-blogging site becomes a significant platform for politicizing Israel’s punitive populism and subsequent subjugation of Palestinian refugees, especially in Gaza. The psycho-politics of phygital protests affects the socio-emotional mobilization of the Great March of Return in both virtual and physical public spheres.
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The Middle East is watching: Iranian and Saudi Arabian newspaper framing of the 2020 US presidential elections
Authors: Mohamad Hamas Elmasry and Mohammed el-NawawyAvailable online: 21 February 2024More LessDespite its importance, there has been little research into how Middle Eastern news outlets cover American politics. This content analysis uses framing theory to explore coverage of the 2020 US presidential election in two Middle East dailies, Iranian Hamshahri and Saudi Arabian Al-Watan. Because Iran and Saudi Arabia are rivals and take different approaches to American politics, hypotheses predicted meaningful framing differences. While some findings were consistent with researcher expectations, most findings were not. As predicted, Al-Watan was less likely to frame Trump negatively. However, contrary to expectations, the examined newspapers did not differ in terms of how they framed Biden, the 6 January breach of the Capitol or allegations of voter fraud. The newspapers also did not differ in terms of how likely they were to use pro-Trump and pro-Biden sources. The unexpected findings suggest a cautious approach by Al-Watan, which may not have wanted to show strong support for a US president, Trump, who was likely outgoing. More generally, and as the ‘Discussion’ section explains, Al-Watan’s approach likely reflected the Saudi government’s perceptions about ongoing developments on the US political scene. In one sense, then, Al-Watan’s editorial line was an extension of Saudi foreign policy towards the United States. The ‘Discussion’ section also attempts to make sense of Hamshahri’s framing patterns, which seemed to reflect larger Iranian distrust in the American political system.
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‘They are us’: Orientalist perspective challenged in New Zealand newspapers’ coverage
Available online: 25 January 2024More LessIt has frequently been debated that western media coverage of Islam and Muslims constructs an Orientalist image of Islam – often that Islam is a threat to the West – that sidelines and dehumanizes Muslims. However, by examining the terrorist incident that occurred in Christchurch, New Zealand in March 2019, in which 51 Muslims were killed at a Mosque, this study discursively argues that an Orientalist view was not manifest in the coverage of New Zealand’s newspapers. Focusing on two mainstream newspapers, the New Zealand Herald and The Press, this study also argues that New Zealand’s newspapers played a constructive role in their opposition to and condemnation of the terrorist attacks. This study argues that, while covering the attacks, these media outlets fully supported and reinforced the view that the people of New Zealand belong to a society of which Muslims are an essential part. The way these newspapers framed the issue, the terminology used and the metaphors they selected to construct the terrorist attack challenged Orientalist perceptions, and thereby rejected any perceived clash of civilizations. The selected newspapers were supportive of the victims, the victims’ families and the Muslim community as a whole. This study also observes that a shift in media coverage from negative to positive perceptions of Muslims is possible.
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Neorealist portrayal of refugee children in Capernaum (2018)
Available online: 21 December 2023More LessThis article explores the social and form-related similarities and differences between the film Capernaum and Italian neorealism, focusing on the portrayal of refugee children. The Syrian Civil War has displaced millions of people, and children who have sought refuge in Syria’s neighbouring countries, such as Lebanon and Turkey, have become victims of poverty and moral degeneration. Similarly, the Second World War left children orphaned and many harsh realities emerged, such as child labour, delinquency, abuse and neglect. The Italian neorealism movement highlighted post-war issues such as these in cinema. Capernaum reflects the new realities of the Syrian Civil War as sociological concepts, such as forced migration due to war, extreme poverty and the victimization of children. This film is important because of its power to generate empathy and (pro-)activism. With an analysis of the mise en scène and contents of Capernaum, we show that the film bears significant traces of neorealism and that nothing has changed for Syrian refugee children. In a spatial sense, the phenomenon of migration brings a new reality to Capernaum, and neorealist films give a voice to victims via actors who express their experiences. Children in both countries have been victims of extreme poverty and moral degeneration due to war.
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Enhancing prosocial behaviour and donation intentions through neuroscientific techniques (EEG and eye tracker): Exploring the influence of charitable advertisement appeals
Authors: Abeer A. Mahrous and Yomna MohsenAvailable online: 14 November 2023More LessThis study investigates the impact of charitable advertisement appeals on prosocial behaviour and intentions to donate, employing cutting-edge neuroscientific techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG) and eye tracker. It also seeks to analyse the moderating effect of altruism, social norms and moral intensity on the relationship between advertising appeal and prosocial behaviour and intention to donate. Findings indicate that negative appeal is more effective than positive appeal in influencing prosocial behaviour and intent to donate. Furthermore, using an eye tracker showed that individuals try to avoid painful scenes in charitable advertisements. This study provides valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms that drive prosocial behaviour and donation intentions by delving into the influence of various charitable advertisement appeals (both positive and negative) on individuals’ neural and ocular responses. We therefore, argue that findings from this research hold significant implications for marketers and advertisers seeking to create more effective and persuasive charitable advertisements, ultimately promoting greater engagement and support for philanthropic causes.
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Falsehood on social media in Egypt: Rumour detection and sentiment analysis of users’ comments
Available online: 11 November 2023More LessThe dissemination of rumours and fabricated information via social media has the potential to adversely impact social cohesiveness and contribute to political polarization, which may lead to political divisions by casting doubt on the effectiveness of government and politicians. In light of the global economic crisis caused by the Russian–Ukrainian War, this study aims to identify economic rumours that were circulating in Egyptian society via social media. Machine learning was employed as a means of analysing the sentiment of user comments on various posts, thus providing an effective method for debunking fake news. In order to identify the most salient features of misleading information, the study qualitatively assessed the visual and linguistic elements of the postings. A total of 10,031 comments were analysed after being categorized into main groups. The study’s results revealed key features pertaining to the sentiments expressed in the comments as well as identifying common textual traits of rumours and specific visual sentiments depicted in accompanying photos. This research sheds light on the importance of identifying and debunking rumours and fabricated information in order to mitigate their potentially negative effects on social cohesiveness and political polarization. Additionally, it highlights the utility of employing machine learning as a tool for analysing sentiment in user-generated content on social media platforms.
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Exploring Arab communication research: A systematic review from 2000 to 2021
Authors: Omar Abu Arqoub, Hanadi Dwikat, Mohammed Abualrob and Samar Sameer HamdanAvailable online: 11 November 2023More LessThis exploratory meta-analysis aims to investigate the current trends in Arab communication research by studying a sample of media and communication articles published in Arab academic journals between 2000 and 2021. The results reveal an increase in the number of published articles after 2011, with a more significant surge after 2016. Egyptian journals exhibited the highest publication rate among all journals. Arab researchers predominantly focused on journalism, followed by mass communication and media studies. Most of the articles analysed lacked a theoretical foundation, and quantitative methods and surveys were frequently employed for data analysis while qualitative methods, particularly personal interviews, were less common. Traditional media, such as television and newspapers, were the most discussed media platforms, followed by social media networks such as Facebook. Geographically, African Arab countries, notably Egypt and Algeria, dominated in terms of published articles and discussions related to these countries, surpassing Asian Arabic countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
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‘It is just a tweet … do not take it seriously!’ Humour posts on Twitter during coronavirus: The case of Kuwait
Authors: Ali A. Dashti, Husain A. Murad, Ali Al-Kandari and Ahmad DashtiAvailable online: 31 October 2023More LessThe uncertainty of the COVID-19 virus outbreak triggered chaos, panic and fear worldwide. During the outbreak, many humorous posts tweeted and retweeted addressed the virus with a laugh. Humour is a way to escape reality, but at the same time it may have negative outcomes. In Kuwait, many such posts spread on social media, especially Twitter. They reduced panic, educated the public or made people ignore the seriousness of the pandemic. This study investigates the negative implications of using humorous text, images and video messages on Twitter. A qualitative discourse analysis of 907 humorous texts, images and videos posted on Twitter during the crisis revealed that humorous posts may foster negative attitudes concerning sectarianism, tribalism, racism, sexism and hatred. Interestingly, humorous posts in less emotionally charged categories, such as sports, family and children, also include many negative connotations and denotations. This study is unique in addressing an understudied area; humour on social media in the Arab and Gulf region. Its findings show that humorous posts can produce negative outcomes and cause fear and hatred in society. There may be a need for self-censorship and moral behaviour to prevent social tension. The notion that jokes are only jokes and people should not be offended may have unforeseen negative repercussions.
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Beauty hacks, wardrobe suggestions and DIY regimes for a Muslim bride: Analysis of bridal beauty vlogs
By Athira B. K.Available online: 31 October 2023More LessDrawing on beauty vlogs uploaded on specific Malayalam YouTube channels, the article documents the digitally mediated circulation of bodily and sartorial norms for a Muslim bride from the region of Kerala. The study explores how fashion vlogging and social media participation assist in furthering the imageries of Malayali Muslim women as neo-liberal feminine subjects by placing the role of consumption as consequential to the emerging sources of their identity. It is proposed that these vlogs catalyse the creation of a Muslim womanhood at the conjectures of cultural notions of modesty, faith and identity aspirations, arguably in the backdrop of transnational Islam and free market ideology. Furthermore, the study hints at the limitations of the analytical device of ‘Brand Islam’ in explaining facets associated with a bridal beautification scene, where the bodily and sartorial prescriptions are mediated by the diversity of co-participants involved and variations in the sartorial references endorsed.
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Mediated mythical discourses: A critical analysis of the female docility and religious discourses in Indian TV soap operas
Available online: 31 October 2023More LessMedia representations have the power to evoke and circulate meanings about a dominant favoured ideology. Like films, television soap operas too may become the sites of hetero-patriarchal representation. This article foregrounds the visual and textual tropes applied to coerce the audience into accepting patriarchal gender roles in the disguise of religious discourse. Using critical discourse analysis of three select Hindi soap operas Saath Nibhana Sathiya, Choti Bahu and Bade Achche Lagte Hai, this article flags the use of religious motifs as disciplining strategies of patriarchy. The resort-seeking behaviour of the female protagonists towards the male Hindu deity for the resolution of crisis becomes a marker of sexism. Furthermore, this one-dimensional representation of a multicultural and multireligious Indian society in these Hindi soap operas has evolved them into Hindu Socials with their dominant tropes of Hinduness within the storyline, rituals, melodrama and misogynism.
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Political hyper-reality in social media: A case study of female candidates in the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) of South Sumatera, Indonesia
Authors: Ridhah Taqwa, Zulfikri Suleman, Yosi Arianti and Anang Dwi SantosoAvailable online: 31 October 2023More LessThis study focused on the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) election in South Sumatra, Indonesia, and examined the creation of hyper-reality in the social media campaigns of female legislative candidates (caleg). Furthermore, it specifically concentrated on the use of social media platforms. A mixed-methodology approach was used, which combined content analysis of social media posts with semi-structured interviews involving twelve informants. This study also aimed to determine how female DPD candidates project their image on social media and the effect on voters. The results showed that female DPD candidates presented themselves on social media in a manner consistent with sociocultural expectations of the role women are expected to play in politics. They portrayed themselves as individuals who can maintain a healthy balance between professional and personal lives, who are educated, devout and have connections with influential people and the general public. It was also shown that voters are still influenced by hyper-realistic depictions of political candidates shared on social media, even though they can differentiate between photographs shared on social media and actual reality. This demonstrated the significant impact of social media on shaping public opinion and the conduct of political actors. This result will contribute to the expanding academic literature on hyper-reality, politics and social media. It will also shed light on the creation of hyper-reality in the political campaigns of women seeking legislative office. This study emphasized the importance of social media as a strategic tool in contemporary politics and how hyper-reality constructions may influence voters’ perceptions and behaviour in the context of DPD elections in South Sumatra.
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Media control and the protection of family values: Case study of the current practices of women TikTok users in Egypt
Authors: Ahmed Ghazal and Passent TantawiAvailable online: 04 September 2023More LessDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise of TikTok video usage and sharing worldwide. Meanwhile, the 2018 Cyber Crime Law has been activated against the so-called women TikTokers in Egypt who were accused and arrested for violating ‘family values’ and ‘inflaming debauchery’. Public opinion expressed that media control is a grey area that includes ambiguous description of these violations. Social scrutiny became viral on social media platforms, inciting a debate over the prosecution of those women. This article is a case study that explores the play behaviour of women TikTok users in Egypt. Through employing a content analysis method, it seeks to find out whether users resist or adapt to the strict media control. Findings revealed that women TikTok users have several motives for their adopted behaviours, such as the fear of missing out (FoMO) and self-expression. Audiences who interpreted the behaviours TikTok women adopted as immoral used hashtags for social activism and generated content to oppress women based on gender rather than fairly evaluating their play behaviours. The research highlights key practices that women TikTok users are currently using in order to adapt to the vague ‘Egyptian family values and morals’. Whether mimicking a meme, performing and/or singing, women TikTok users have been considering their conservative cultural context carefully to avoid the severe consequences that pervious women TikTokers have faced. Furthermore, women TikTok users are reluctant to boldly resist the strict media control in Egypt. Instead of using controversial sex appeal, they resort to using humour for garnering views and utilizing the platform’s entertainment nature.
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The virtual mask: The dark underbelly of digital anonymity and gender identity construction in Turkey
Authors: Hasan Gürkan, Aybike Serttaş and Tugay SarıkayaAvailable online: 04 September 2023More LessThis study explores the impact of online identity on individuals’ perception of self and communication codes. Specifically, the study investigates the relationship between the presentation and construction of identity and gender identity. The research methodology involves conducting in-depth interviews with eight Turkish university students aged 19–23, hailing from various cities across Turkey. Through these interviews and subsequent evaluations, the study identifies significant differences between social and digital identities, which can be attributed to various demographic factors, including gender. Furthermore, the study argues that the digital realm provides favourable opportunities for individuals to express their identities while serving as a platform for mobilization, opposition and alternative modes of communication that challenge existing societal norms. Moreover, results show that young people sometimes experience fears about their social media posts and anxiety that society and the government will punish them.
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