This two-day workshop immerses students in comparative studies of Islamist politics in the Middle East and North Africa through the lens of how violent and non-violent Islamist state and non-actors, as well as their opponents, use and manipulate digital and social media to further their goals. The workshop is specifically interested in exploring themes in how the region’s religious, political and social forces interact and mobilize in digital space, including their competing organizational networks and narrative claims.

As an increasingly more popular and politically-relevant topic in the region and beyond, we seek applicants whose work lie at the intersection of ICTs (information and communication technologies – such as Whatsapp, Signal, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and other web channels) and social media platforms on the one hand, and religion, politics, culture, and mobilization on the other. Those that are interested in, and work on how online and offline mobilization, behaviour and organization interact in the Middle East are particularly encouraged to apply.

Related questions that this workshop will explore include:

1. The definition of “Islamism,” Islamic vs. Islamist vs. jihadist hierarchies, communication strategies, and organizational networks of influence in the digital world
2. Digital Surveillance, Censorship, Protest, Voice, and Opposition in the Middle East
3. Organized Diversion: Fake News, Trolls Bots
4. Online Radicalization and ICT Use of Extremist Groups

The deadline for the application is August 6, 2018.

Here you find the flyer for this workshop with all the details.