59. Name: Deena Dajani Title: Between the Mediated and the Performed: Empirical Contribution to Understanding Arabic Public Spheres (the Role of Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya, Al Hurra and JTV) Institution: Loughborough University Country: United Kingdom Date: 2010 Language: English Abstract: This thesis seeks to contribute to the current debate on the Arabic public sphere through an empirical exploration of the politically mediated realm of news media as well as the performative and cultural sphere of interactive theatre. The 2007 Jordanian parliamentary elections offer a framework for the research, which consists of two case studies. The first examines the portrayal and representation of Jordanian citizens in the news coverage of these elections. Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya, Al Hurra and JTV were monitored during the lead up to and after the elections and different modes of participations were identified in the coverage. The second case study explores the ways in which Jordanian citizens participated in interactive theatre performance of the elections across Jordan. the findings revealed significant differences in the ways citizens participated, or were portrayed as participating, across the political and cultural spheres. Transnational media portrayed citizens largely as observers of the political process and, less frequently, as commentators on issues of public concern. The mediated public sphere was also found to be gendered and afforded Jordanian women less presence and access to participate.
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