Back to the Future: Sparta, Athena, and the battle for the Arab public sphere
Keywords:
Al Jazeera, Arab public space, Arab Spring, Arabia, autocracy, Bahrain, censorship, democracy, dictatorship, Egypt, fake news, Gulf Crisis, human rights, Iran, media freedom, Middle East, political economy, Qatar, satellite broadcasting, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Al Jazeera (AJ) has been a defining feature in developing news media in the Middle East and beyond. The satellite-broadcasting network has played a leading role in bringing stories and perspectives that other international media do not always cover, if at all. More importantly, it has been a champion for democracy and human rights in the Middle East, thereby provoking the ire of Arab autocratic rulers, which went to great length to silence the Qatar-based television news network. The latest Gulf Crisis, in which four countries (Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt) blockaded Qatar in July 2017, is another attempt to silence this media institution and peg back the region to the pre-Arab Spring era. The anti-Qatar quartet issued an ultimatum of 13 demands to be fulfilled within ten days. The list included paying reparations, shutting down Al Jazeera, curbing bilateral relations with Iran, closing a Turkish military base, and submitting to monthly external compliance checks. However, the crisis could be a blessing in disguise for Qatar and the network in its campaign for greater freedom of expression in the Middle East. This article analyses the crisis from a media political economy perspective.
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References
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Miles, H. (2005). Al-Jazeera: The inside story of the Arab news channel that is challenging the west. New York: Grove Press.
Nakashima, K., & DeYoung, E. (2017, July 16). UAE orchestrated hacking of Qatari government sites, sparking regional upheaval, according to US intelligence officials. Washington Post Blogs
Philp, C., & Spencer, R. (2017, July 13). Emirates back down over demand to shut al Jazeera. The Times, London.
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The Economist (2013, January 12). Al Jazeera must do better. Retrieved from www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21569429-arabs-premier-television-network-bids-american-viewers-must-do-better
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Zayani, M. (Ed.). (2005). The Al Jazeera phenomenon: Critical perspectives on new Arab media. Boulder, CO: Paradigm Publishers.
Zayed, D. (2011, January 21). Al Jazeera TV makes waves with Tunisia coverage. Retrieved from http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/01/21/uk-tunisia-jazeera-idUKTRE70K25N20110121
Al-Kasim, F. (1999). Crossfire: The Arab version. The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics, 4(3), 93.
Al-Rasheed, M. (2017). Saudi Arabia and its neighbours: A troubled relationship. Retrieved from http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/reports/2017/07/saudi-arabia-neighbours-troubled-relationship-170712101306392.html
Barnett, M., & Duvall, R. (2005). Power in international politics. International Organization, 59(01), 39-75.
BBC News (2000). Life sentences for Qatari coup plotters. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/660887.stm
BBC News. (2017, July 19). Saudi-led bloc modifies demands to end Qatar crisis. Retrieved from www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-40654023
Champion, M. (2017, June 6). Saudi dispute with Qatar has 22-year history rooted in gas. Retrieved from www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-06-06/saudi-arabia-s-feud-with-qatar-has-22-year-history-rooted-in-gas
Chandrasekaran, R. (2014, November 9). In the UAE, the United States has a quiet, potent ally nicknamed ‘Little Sparta’. Retrieved from www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/in-the-uae-the-united-states-has-a-quiet-potent-ally-nicknamed-little-sparta/2014/11/08/3fc6a50c-643a-11e4-836c-83bc4f26eb67_story.html
Cone, A. (2017, July 30). Arab bloc to Qatar: Meet 13 demands before talks on boycott . Retrieved from www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2017/07/30/Arab-bloc-to-Qatar-Meet-13-demands-before-talks-on-boycott/8271501438596/
Davidson, C. (2016). Shadow wars: The secret struggle for the Middle East. London: Oneworld.
El-Nawawy, M., & Iskandar, A. (2002). Al Jazeera: The story of the network that is rattling governments and redefining modern journalism. Cambridge: Westview Press.
Fahim, K., & Ryan, M. (2017, August 3). The UAE’s hunt for its enemies is challenging its alliance with the United States. Retrieved from www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/uaes-drive-for-regional-influence-tests-its-military-alliance-with-the-united-states/2017/08/03/448683ee-6bd2-11e7-abbc-a53480672286_story.html
Gale. (1998). Sheikh Hamad bin khalifa Al-Thani, emir. Retrieved from link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1610000166/BIC1?u=fairfax_main&xid=9eb83b4a
Gvalia, G., Siroky, D., Lebanidze, B., & Iashvili, Z. (2013). Thinking outside the bloc: Explaining the foreign policies of small states. Security Studies, 22, 98-131.
Hearst, D. (2017, April 26). Saudi palace coup: The sequel. Retrieved from www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/saudi-palace-coup-the-sequel_us_5900874ae4b00acb75f18347
Hellyer, P. (2001). The evolution of UAE foreign policy. In Al Abed, I. & Hellyer, P. (Ed.), United Arab Emirates: A new perspective (pp. 161-178). London: Trident Press Ltd.
Kamrava, M. (2009). Royal factionalism and political liberalization in Qatar. The Middle East Journal, 63(3), 401-420.
Kirkpatrick, D. D. (3 June 2014). 3 gulf countries pull ambassadors from Qatar over its support of Islamists. The New York Times. Retrieved from www.nytimes.com/2014/03/06/world/middleeast/3-persian-gulf-states-pull-ambassadors-from-qatar.html
Law, B. (2017, April 20). The Gulf’s ‘little Sparta’ has big military ambitions. Retrieved from www.middleeasteye.net/columns/gulf-s-little-sparta-has-big-military-ambitions-1331398998
Lederer, E. M. (2017, July 19). Arabs urge Qatar to accept 6 principles to combat extremism. Retrieved from www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/arabs-urge-qatar-to-accept-6-principles-to-combat-extremism/2017/07/18/836f95f4-6c28-11e7-abbc-a53480672286_story.html?utm_term=.3901a5aeb4c9
Lynch, M. (2005). Watching Al-Jazeera. The Wilson Quarterly, 29(3), 36-45.
Maclean, W., El Gamal, R. & Finn, T. (2017, June 23). Arab states issue ultimatum to Qatar: Close Jazeera, curb ties with Iran. Retrieved from www.reuters.com/article/us-gulf-qatar-demands-idUSKBN19E0BB
Mahruqi, Z. (28 July 2017). Why Qatar? why now? why so much resentment? Retrieved from http://www.eurasiareview.com/28072017-why-qatar-why-now-why-so-much-resentment-oped/
Middle East Eye (2017, June 22). Qatar crisis: Saudi-led states list 13 demands to end blockade. Retrieved from www.middleeasteye.net/news/qatar-blockade-uae-sets-demands-end-crisis-1190365222
Miles, H. (2005). Al-Jazeera: The inside story of the Arab news channel that is challenging the west. New York: Grove Press.
Nakashima, K., & DeYoung, E. (2017, July 16). UAE orchestrated hacking of Qatari government sites, sparking regional upheaval, according to US intelligence officials. Washington Post Blogs
Philp, C., & Spencer, R. (2017, July 13). Emirates back down over demand to shut al Jazeera. The Times, London.
Qatar National Bank. (2015, February). Qatar economic insight 2015. Retrieved from www.slideshare.net/JoannesMongardini/qnb-group-qatar-economic-insight-2015
Reuters (2011, May 4). Al Jazeera wins a top journalism prize in New York. Retrieved from www.reuters.com/article/ia-aljazeera-award-idUSN0420599920110504
Reuters. (2017, September 9). Saudi Arabia suspends any dialogue with Qatar: SPA. Retrieved from www.reuters.com/article/us-gulf-qatar/saudi-arabia-suspends-any-dialogue-with-qatar-spa-idUSKCN1BJ2OW
Ridley, Y. (2017, June 24). Qatar is giving Saudi and the UAE a master class in international diplomacy. Retrieved from www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170624-qatar-is-giving-saudi-and-the-uae-a-masterclass-in-international-diplomacy/
Roberts, D. B. (2012, February 28). Examining Qatari-Saudi relations. Retrieved from http://thegulfblog.com/2012/02/28/examining-qatari-saudi-relations
Roth, K. (2017, July 26). Qatar: Finding opportunities for reform in crisis. Retrieved from www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2017/07/170726082639136.html
Tharoor, I. (2017, July 18). The blockade of Qatar is failing. Washington Post Blogs
The Economist (2013, January 12). Al Jazeera must do better. Retrieved from www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21569429-arabs-premier-television-network-bids-american-viewers-must-do-better
The Economist (2017, April 6). The ambitious united Arab emirates. Retrieved from www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21720319-driven-energetic-crown-price-uae-building-bases-far-beyond-its
The Guardian (2017, June 23). The Guardian view on Al-Jazeera: Muzzling journalism. Retrieved from www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/23/the-guardian-view-on-al-jazeera-muzzling-journalism
The New Arab (2017, July 27). Netanyahu vows to expel al Jazeera from Israel for ‘inciting violence’ at Al-Aqsa mosque. Retrieved from www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2017/7/27/netanyahu-vows-to-expel-al-jazeera-over-al-aqsa-coverage
The New York Times (2017, June 21). Misguided attacks on Al Jazeera. Retrieved from www.nytimes.com/2017/06/21/opinion/misguided-attacks-on-al-jazeera.html
Tucker, N. (2017, August 7). Banning Al Jazeera in Israel won’t be so easy. Here’s why. Retrieved from www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.805486
US Energy Information Administration. (2015). Qatar. Retrieved from www.eia.gov/beta/international/analysis_includes/countries_long/Qatar/qatar.pdf
Wintour, P. (2017, June 28). UAE ambassador threatens further sanctions against Qatar. Retrieved from https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/28/uae-ambassador-threatens-further-sanctions-against-qatar
Zayani, M. (Ed.). (2005). The Al Jazeera phenomenon: Critical perspectives on new Arab media. Boulder, CO: Paradigm Publishers.
Zayed, D. (2011, January 21). Al Jazeera TV makes waves with Tunisia coverage. Retrieved from http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/01/21/uk-tunisia-jazeera-idUKTRE70K25N20110121
Published
20-06-2017
How to Cite
Cherkaoui, T. (2017). Back to the Future: Sparta, Athena, and the battle for the Arab public sphere. Pacific Journalism Review : Te Koakoa, 23(2), 112-125. https://doi.org/10.24135/pjr.v23i2.328
Section
Special Reports
Copyright (c) 2017 Tarek Cherkaoui
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
