Netroots in Iran

[ProSense]

Netroots in Iran

By vbdietz on Nov 30, 2008

Via Sully:

(Video)

Per Mr. Aaron in the Vimeo comments, the graphics et al were inspired by the movie Persepolis.

Sounds like they may be looking for their Obama, just as the Palestinian journalist and blogger Daoud Kuttab noted in his post about Obama's impact on undemocratic Arab regimes.

More on Netroots Development in the Middle East

By vbdietz on Nov 30, 2008

An observation by Brian Ullrich via Sully:

Early this evening I went to a panel on "Negotiating Community in the Arab Persian Gulf" which featured Fahad Bishara from Duke, Farah al-Nakib of London's School for Oriental and African Studies, UCLA'a Laith Ulaby, Leila De Vriese of Hamline University, and a chair/discussant whose name I did not catch...

(Leila De Vriese discussed) political activist blogging in Gulf countries, particularly Bahrain and Kuwait. She attributed the most efficacy to Bahrain's blogosphere, mentioning in particular the "Brain Farts" feature on the late, great Mahmood's Den. Overall, she credited the Bahraini blogosphere with generating a reconceptualization of Bahraini citizenship as part of an upsurge in grassroots political activism, particularly by Shi'ites. She also credited Kuwaiti blogs with playing a significant role in that country's 2006 Orange Revolution. <...>

... blogs have allowed women to participate openly in the same political sphere as men, even in highly segregated societies such as Saudi Arabia. ... In societies with high internet penetration, blogs can have a democratizing, community-building function. Although we've seen this in the United States, its occurrence in politically closed societies such as Bahrain is significant because of the nexus of people it can bring together in certain types of interactions. I don't know all the ramifications that the term "public sphere" has in political science, but it sounds like a local one may have emerged in certain Gulf states of a type that would have been unlikely prior to the internet.

[Sebastian Doyle]

1. So what are the Iranian netroots saying about the SOS appointment?

Considering the way Hillary's voted and the comments she's made in the past, I can imagine it would be a serious topic of discussion over there.

[karynnj]

2. These are fascinating

I never thought of "netroots"in these types of cultures. It is interesting the impact it can have in these more closed societies.

[ProSense]

3. Agree. n/t

[beachmom]

4. The internet poses a great threat to dictators and opponents to democracy and free speech. nt