Abstract: The Double Digital Bind: Change and Stasis in the Middle East by Mohammed Zayani and Joe Khalil explores the realities of digital transformation in the Arab world from a critical, interdisciplinary perspective. The book does not focus solely on technical aspects, but highlights the social, political and cultural dimensions of this transformation, tracing developments from the advent of radio, television and satellite broadcasting to the age of the internet and digital platforms. Central to the book is the concept of the “double bind”, which refers to the conflict that societies in the region face between pursuing digital modernisation on the one hand, and clinging to political and social control on the other. The authors critique the overreliance on Western digital models and call for a localised understanding rooted in the Arab world’s specific context and political history. Despite the richness of the book’s analysis, the review notes a limited engagement with Arabic-language sources, relying instead on English-language literature. This raises concerns about academic autonomy and epistemological bias. Overall, the book serves as an important reference for understanding digital transformation in the Arab world, addressing issues such as digital sovereignty and the need to dismantle Western epistemic dominance in studying the region’s digital evolution. It is also a call to rethink how the region can harness digital technologies without falling into the contradictions that undermine its developmental potential. Keywords: Double Bind, Change, Stasis, Context, Middle East.
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