Season 1: The Future of Internet in MENA
Host Alex Farley sits down with Joe F. Khalil and Mohamed Zayani to discuss their latest book, “The Digital Double Bind: Change and Stasis in the Middle East.” In the book, the authors discuss the development of the telecommunications industry in the Middle East and its impact on the development of the internet in the region. The conversation explores infrastructure development, early chatrooms experiences, and the evolving world of political speech on the internet in the Arab World.
On this episode:
1:54 – Inspiration for the book
7:02 – Defining the digital double bind
12:50 – Development of ICT in MENA
22:40 – Connections between states and markets
31:04 – Building a history of the Arab Internet
37:45 – Looking at the startup ecosystem today
References:
The Digital Double Bind: Change and Stasis in the Middle East (https://academic.oup.com/book/55303)
By Mohamed Zayani and Joe F. Khalil, Oxford University Press, 2024
