Arab Revolutions: Breaking Fear| The Cultural Logic of Visibility in the Arab Uprisings

Authors

  • Hatim El-Hibri New York University

Keywords:

Arab media, Arab Uprisings, social media, visual culture, public space

Abstract

The events of the Arab uprisings reveal a new tension in the relationship between media and space. This article situates iconic moments of the uprisings, such as large groups of people gathered inTahrir SquareinEgypt, by examining how they depend on tactics of disinformation, secrecy, and concealment. It compares two examples—footage from the Qasr Al Nil Bridge in Cairo at the beginning of the January 2011 uprising and the politics of anonymity in the case of the outing of Syrian activist Malath Al Aumran—to situate the stakes of public visibility in regimes of spatial control as they intersect with new modes of visual circulation. The article draws conclusions about our understanding of how media structured these events.

Author Biography

Hatim El-Hibri, New York University

Hatim El-Hibri is Adjunct Professor in the Department of Media, Culture, and Communication at New York University and the Department of Communication Studies at Baruch College

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Published

2014-03-17

Issue

Vol. 8 (2014)

Section

Special Sections

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