Media literacy for the Arab World per Ahmed Al-Rawi
- This is a discussion of an interview 2024-11-21 with Simon Fraser University professor Ahmed Al-Rawi[1] about his research into how to understand and counter the rise in political polarization and violence worldwide. A 29:00 mm:ss podcast excerpted from the companion video will be posted here after it is released to the fortnightly "Media & Democracy" show[2] syndicated for the Pacifica Radio[3] Network of over 200 community radio stations.[4]
- It is posted here to invite others to contribute other perspectives, subject to the Wikimedia rules of writing from a neutral point of view while citing credible sources[5] and treating others with respect.[6]
- [Video of the interview coming soon.]
Simon Fraser University professor Ahmed Al-Rawi[1] discusses the media literacy laboratory he co-founded at the Lebanese American University in Beiruit[7] and his research into how to understand and counter the rise in political polarization and violence worldwide. He is interviewed by Spencer Graves.
Al-Rawi is the author or co-author of a dozen books in the last dozen years plus co-editor of three others and author of dozens of articles.[8] Most of his publications describe the increase in political polarization and violence worldwide in recent decades and what might be done to counter it. His research has focused primarily on the Arab World and on Canada. At Simon Fraser and elsewhere he has taught classes on media, communications, democracy and power.
Al-Rawi is currently an Associate Professor of News, Social Media & Public Communication in the School of Communication, Faculty of Communication, Art & Technology at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and a scientist with the International Panel on the Information Environment[9] He has previously taught at other universities in Canada as well as in the Netherlands and in Oman. Twenty years ago he worked as a freelance radio journalist for the Pacifica Radio Network and before that as a translator for Iraq National Television, Baghdad, Iraq.
The threat
editInternet company executives have knowingly increased political polarization and violence including the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar, because doing otherwise might have reduced their profits. Documentation of this is summarized in Category:Media reform to improve democracy.
Discussion
edit- [Interested readers are invite to comment here, subject to the Wikimedia rules of writing from a neutral point of view citing credible sources[5] and treating others with respect.[6]]
Notes
edit- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ahmed Al-Rawi, Wikidata Q131349551
- ↑ Media & Democracy, Director: Spencer Graves, Pacifica Radio, Wikidata Q127839818
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ↑ Pacifica Radio, Wikidata Q2045587
- ↑ List of Pacifica Radio stations and affiliates, Wikidata Q6593294
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The rules of writing from a neutral point of view citing credible sources may not be enforced on other parts of Wikiversity. However, they can facilitate dialog between people with dramatically different beliefs
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Wikiversity asks contributors to assume good faith, similar to Wikipedia. The rule in Wikinews is different: Contributors there are asked to "Don't assume things; be skeptical about everything." That's wise. However, we should still treat others with respect while being skeptical.
- ↑ Ahmed Al-Rawi, Author archives: Ahmed Al-Rawi, Wikidata Q131349668
- ↑ Ahmed Al-Rawi, Curriculum Vitae: Ahmed Al-Rawi (PDF), Wikidata Q131349693
- ↑ Ahmed Al-Rawi. "Scientists: Ahmed Al-Rawi". International Panel on the Information Environment. Wikidata Q131349735. https://www.ipie.info/scientists/ahmedal-rawi.
Bibliography
edit- Ahmed Al-Rawi (2025b), Mediated Racism and democracy in Canada: Interrogatingthe news industry, political systems, and public discourses, Routledge (published 2025), Wikidata Q131349901
- Ahmed Al-Rawi (2025a), Disruptive Information in Canada, Bloomsbury Publishing (published 2024), Wikidata Q131349920
- Ahmed Al-Rawi; Carmen Celestini; Nicole K. Stewart; Joseph M. Nicolaï; Nathan Worku (2025). The Canadian Far-Right and Conspiracy Theories (in en). Routledge. Wikidata Q131349937. ISBN 978-1-032-81569-5.
- The Iraqi Spring: Social Media and Political Activism (in en). Amsterdam University Press. 2024. Wikidata Q131350073. ISBN 978-94-6372-515-6.
- Ahmed Al-Rawi (2024). Online hate on social media (in en). Palgrave Macmillan. Wikidata Q131350104. ISBN 978-3-031-61818-5.
- Ahmed Al-Rawi (2024). ISIS' propaganda machine : global mediated terrorism (in en). Routledge. Wikidata Q131350154. ISBN 978-1-032-61588-2.
- Ahmed Al-Rawi (2023). Supernatural creatures in Arabic literary tradition (in en). Routledge. Wikidata Q131350208. ISBN 978-1-032-61224-9.
- Ahmed Al-Rawi (2021). Cyberwars in the Middle East (in en). Routledge. Wikidata Q131350317. ISBN 978-1-9788-1010-5.
- Ahmed Al-Rawi (2020). News 2.0: Journalists, Audiences and News on Social Media (in en). Wiley-Blackwell. Wikidata Q131350446. ISBN 978-1-119-56962-6.
- Ahmed Al-Rawi (2020). Women's Activism and New Media in the Arab World (in en). State University of New York Press. Wikidata Q131350555. ISBN 978-1-4384-7866-1.
- Ahmed Al-Rawi (2017). Islam on YouTube : Online Debates, Protests, and Extremism (in en). Palgrave Macmillan. Wikidata Q131350577. ISBN 978-1-137-39826-0.
- Ahmed Al-Rawi (2012). Media Practice in Iraq (in en). Springer Nature. Wikidata Q131350656. ISBN 978-0-230-35452-4.