Between Jihad and Facebook: Middle Eastern Youth Caught in the Crossroads of Cyberspace

Internet Jihad. A term the Prophet Mohammed never could have fathomed in 7th century Arabia. But today it has become synonymous with the global Jihadist movement thanks to Al-Qa'ida's technological sophistication. As a New York Times op-ed piece professed in June, Al-Qa'ida "made its name in blood and pixels." With online video messages and websites aimed at spreading ideology and global recruitment, technology in the Middle East has largely been regarded solely as the tool of terrorists by Western policy-makers and mainstream media, thereby virtually ignoring the majority of more moderate Middle Easterners. This bias promotes the image of Islam as primitive, except for its most violent elements that will stop at nothing to use technology for their evil purposes; however, while convenient in promoting such a worldview, the above-mentioned paradigm is one-sided. In fact, like any multidimensional society the Muslim world is experimenting with many positive uses of technology, and again the rising generation is at the forefront of such innovation. Last fall I spent a semester in the Muslim community of Mombasa, Kenya, where the stereotypes of Islam that I subconsciously held were first confronted and very quickly conquered. Since returning to the US, I have often thought that if my fellow Americans were also able to appreciate the diversity within the Muslim community, we could get a better sense of important currents within modern Islam. This is crucial in order to see how the center of that ancient culture, under great stress, is adapting modern technology, and even using it to promote more widespread communication and interchange.

Censorship in the Middle East may be a key factor in the rise of religious extremism, particularly amongst youth. In countries such as Egypt, where President Hosni Mubarak has largely repressed the freedom of political expression, many marginalized Muslims have given up on politics and resorted to a more fundamental Islam. Due to decades of corruption, inequality, and foreign intervention, violence became the only forum for dissent in the region. But there are signs that the rising generation, who has only known injustice, may be searching for alternatives to violent opposition. As youth struggle between violence and submission, they seem to have adapted the tool of the internet to their local milieu. 

Facebook, a social networking site used by nearly every American college and high school student, has recently exploded throughout the world and has begun to reflect the debates going on in classrooms and coffee shops in the Middle Eastern world. In September, a Voice of America article wrote about the impact of Facebook on Turkish politics. Turkey is historically a secular state, but Islamism is rising due to the religious roots of the ruling government. According to the article, fundamentalism has been on the rise since the 1980s, when Turkey's military rule began a zero-tolerance response to the traditional platforms of civil society. Today, marginalized youth are turning to the internet as an agent for dialogue and free association. As one young Facebook user put it in reference to the internet, "we don't have assets we don't have capital, but we have a tool for free." This lack of capital and power has also been used as causation for suicide bombers, but Turkish youth have found another outlet via networking sites. In September, The Los Angeles Times continued the conversation on the Islamic use of Facebook. Author Jeffrey Fleisman focused on the struggle between secularists and Islamists, as played out on Facebook. With millions of users on the site, many individuals have started groups that represent their views as Muslims or Middle Easterners. Groups have titles that vary from "Brave Bold Liberal Muslim Girls," which has over 1,000 members, to "Against Any People who Insult Prophet Mohammed and Islam" with over 3,000. While some groups are forums for disagreement between secularists and Islamists, others open communication with their Western counterparts. As the Egyptian leader of the group "We the Muslim Youth Can Change this World" illustrates: "I now have a relationship with an American guy on Facebook. He first contacted me by calling me a terrorist...Now he and I discuss Islam and Buddhism." This is a perfect example of the possibilities for the modernity of globalization to work in synch with the traditions of religion. It is also a wonderful illustration of how a tool that we in the West universally use (and nearly as universally take for advantage) can be adapted to localized conditions around the world to create positive change.

Connecting through bits and bytes on the internet rather than flesh and blood has been criticized for its dehumanizing effect, which could bolster the image of Muslim youth as isolated and desperate connected soullessly through the internet with terrorist leaders. In fact, the emergence of social-networking and the interactive web--known as Web 2.0--is providing opportunities for social and human contact. As a young Bahraini blogged in June, Web 2.0 has given the moderate majority of Muslims such a voice that it has overtaken the effectiveness of terrorist organizations' propaganda proliferated through the more basic Web 1.0 (see the New York Times article which calls Al-Oa'ida "behind the curve"). Al-Qa'ida has been targeting millions of Middle Eastern internet users with its online campaigns, but those same users can be empowered with the creativity provided through the interactive tools of the internet. MidEast Youth, a site I featured in my most recent post, has capitalized on the social-networking capabilities of Web 2.0 to give a human element to the news coming out of the Middle East through online video-conferences with their American peers. This month they conducted their third teleconference with American high schoolers, which can be heard online. Questions ranged from the popularity of Senator Obama abroad to the similarities and differences of health care in each region. The participants from the Middle East featured three females, one Jew, and one Palestinian calling in from a refugee camp. 

The benefits of cross-cultural communication have not gone completely unnoticed, and the international NGO community has taken cues from such homegrown initiatives. Mercy Corps, an international development and relief organization, has created Why Not, a youth internet exchange program using Skype's online video chat. With the goal of building cross-cultural connections between regions defined by stereotypes, the initiative seeks to reduce isolation in the Middle East, create more accurate perceptions and deepen each group's understanding of the other's political and social realities. Mercy Corps, while doing development projects in war-torn and drought-stricken countries around the world, has found that living through everyday violence often leads to feelings of abandonment by the international community, and these human-to-human chats separate the average American, or Muslim, from what each side sees in mainstream media. In this instance technology has become a tool for the humanization of conflicts, war and politics starting at the roots.

There are many reasons why it is important to recognize and validate these positive uses of the internet. The Middle East is currently experiencing what is known as a "youth bulge," a high proportion of 15-29 year olds relative to the adult population that is considered a causal factor for political violence. Indeed, 60% of the region's population is under 25 and their rate of unemployment has reached dangerous levels (see interactive demographic map above). As a marginalized constituency, the likelihood of violence is high, but can be countered with the creation of opportunities to choose another, non-violent path. In addition, the cross-cultural connections which are facilitated by technology is giving a human face to the war and suffering that many Americans do not yet understand. To think of Islam's youth as not using technology in familiar ways, but only to promote violence and terrorism is the opposite of humanizing, it is demonizing. For American students to be able to talk with their Muslim peers about topics like dating, parents and music has a very enlightening effect. Globalization is often criticized for making the world smaller. Yet it is a force that cannot be stopped, and therefore must be molded for the betterment of humanity. Apparently the world's youth are one step ahead of those pessimists by accepting, contextualizing, and adapting what they have to their generational realities.

Democratizing Knowledge: A List of Online Resources for Young Activists

Using search tools on the internet can sometimes feel like hunting for a needle in a haystack. The plethora of information can be daunting, and it is often difficult to know whether a site has academic authority, biases, or hidden motives. With this in mind, I decided to create a list of online resources to supplement my posts. I focused on sites created by and for young people, and the sheer number of pages that I sorted through (and their overall quality and diversity) is inspiring. I ended up with the following list by applying Webby and IMSA criteria to judge each blog or site based on content, functionality, interactivity, navigation and visual design, keeping in mind that many of these sites are geared toward the young technological generation. I have added all of the links to my linkroll (on the left) and will also discuss them here.

I would like to begin with a site that I often use for my own research and whose content really cannot be beat. Global Voices Online is a non-profit founded at Harvard University that features blogs and articles written by credible authors around the world who are normally marginalized from mainstream media, and utilizes a network of volunteers to translate dozens of languages daily. The site is easy to use, with articles sorted by region and topic. It does not have many graphics or tools that may distract from the great content, although this also limits reader interaction with the site. Another, more specialized news source is WireTap Online Magazine, which is created by and for youth on national news and culture. WireTap has well-researched, diverse content using videos, blogs and stories. The graphics are complementary to the content, and even the advertisements on the sidebars are for youth voting organizations!

As the premier organization in the international community, the UN created Youth and The United Nations, which contains information on all of their programs that focus on youth, lists internships, ways to get involved, and relevant links from every region in the world. It is straightforward and simple, but important nonetheless. Two of the United Nations topic-specific programs also have sites geared toward kids, the UN Environmental Program's Tunza initiative and UNICEF's Voices of Youth. Both represent the UN's long-term strategy to engage children and contain information on what the UN and people around the world are doing. While both are quite basic, UNICEF's "e-consultation" is particularly noteworthy by giving young visitors a much needed voice on many issues. Another influential non-profit is the International Youth Foundation, which focuses on the holistic development of the world's rising generation. Like the UN sites, IYF has a lot of information from the field, but mostly publicizes its own programs. Mercy Corps' extremely well-designed page on their global engagement initiatives also has a wealth of information for those interested in global development (see image above of their Global Envision Online Magazine). All of these sites are important in the intellectual and policy circles, but may not appeal to young people simply because they appear to have been created by adults. However, there are many organizations run by young people. One example is the Global Youth Partnership for Africa, which was founded by a 22 year-old American and a 31 year-old Ugandan with the mission to foster understanding between rising American and African leaders through engagement. While largely self-promotional, this web page contains many ways to get involved for budding activists. Another organization, The Freechild Project, strives to aid and celebrate change led by young people around the world. It has pages with lists of resources that represent "guerilla research" that grows out of the community. While this site is more "grassroots," it lacks interaction and excitement with its basic layout and few graphics.

Western universities have been the leaders in the link between technology, media, and social change. One initiative is MIT's Center for Future Civic Media, which is essentially a blog whose posts present innovations in the field of media and technology. Yet its plain white background and lack of graphics reveal its academic origins and make it pretty dry. A much more interactive site in the US is GenerationEngage, a non-partisan initiative that seeks to give young Americans information to engage them in the political process. They do this through video-conferences and informative videos that are posted online and which you can download onto your iPod. The site is at the forefront of technology, but its primary target audience, young people who are not attending college and tend to be less engaged, may have a hard time navigating through such a complex site. Video-conferences are an example of the rise in global telecommunications, which has also facilitated the creation of social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. The youth culture associated with these sites tends to have a negative connotation, but the socially-conscious networks I found illustrate an active response to such criticisms. One example, YouthNoise, claims to be a MySpace for those with "deeper interests than Paris Hilton's wardrobe." Its cluttered format may make the site difficult to navigate for those over-18, also a problem on The Global Youth Fund. GYF improves by providing interactive tools such as polls and an "idea bank." The site's advanced level of graphics is seen in its beautiful YouTube promo video. In similar vein, Taking IT Global is a networking site that is easier to tap into, and with membership you get access to IT tools, discussion boards, and lists of global events. Its legitimacy is derived from partnerships with the UN, NGOs and corporations.

One of the most striking characteristics of social activism online is the sheer creativity in the ways that people are creating change. Inspired by the politically-conscious rap in Senegal, undergrad Ben Herson created the Nomadic Wax Global Hip-Hop Blog, full of cutting-edge graphics (see image on left), that focuses on hip-hop from the Palestine to Laos and Brazil. The Global Action Project also promotes arts and social change around the world, and supports itself by selling exceptional videos created by its young members on the site. Even the short clips are worth a visit. While not focusing explicitly on youth, National Geographic's All Roads Film Project promotes documentary filmmaking as a medium to enhance indigenous culture. I Buy Different is an environmentally-focused site that teaches young consumers how to make a difference just by buying differently. Like all of these youth-led sites, it is especially interactive with striking design. MobileActive.org focuses on the cell-phone and its 3 billion users worldwide to create social impact. It is a basic blog, but puts into focus another innovative topic that is below the radar of mainstream media.

I would like to end with one of the best examples of young people using technology for social change. MidEast Youth is a student-owned, unfunded network that promotes constructive dialogue within the Middle East and Northern Africa. It is homegrown, and uses freedom of expression to create social change in a region were speech is often censored, stereotypes abound, and minority voices are suppressed. Its simplicity gives an air of academia to a blog created by youth, which has given it credibility in the international community. The components of the site and overall content relate to different issues that the authors face, from interfaith to sex to comics. It is one of the best and most inspiring examples that I found that shows the true potential of youth putting technology to good use.

Yo Soy Blogger: New Forms of Communication in Cuba

Cuba never strays from American media for long. From reports on which presidential candidate is pandering for Cuban-American votes in Florida, to the debate on whether the economic embargo allows post-hurricane relief aid, this fall is no exception. Despite such interest, the average American knows very little about the realities of life in Cuba due to the US travel embargo and media that is often politically-biased (both on the left and the right of the political spectrum). However, since Fidel Castro passed the presidential torch to his slightly younger brother Raul this past year, a more liberal allowance of luxury goods (such as the legalization of cell phones and computers) has opened up passages of communication to enterprising Cuban citizens, and it is especially encouraging to note that Cuba's youth have been the first to master and capitalize on the tools to spread their voices throughout the global community. As a young American, I feel as though my generation is often criticized for eroding morals and increasing apathy, often it is said, due to the proliferation of technology. Yet I argue that political participation and social activism are in fact facilitated and even spurned by the new forms of technology, as witnessed in the recent presidential elections. It would seem that my generational peers in Cuba are also using  using the same resources as channels of change, which signifies an important process of democratization in Cuba, a country known to have little freedom of speech and political dissent.

Since Fidel Castro stepped down from power in February, many predictions and recommendations for a post-Castro transition to democracy have been explored in the academic and policy-making communities. Within this context, a focus on Cuba's youth as a key component of the transition has emerged. The Latell Report, written by Cuba analyst Brian Latell from the Cuba-Transition Project at the University of Miami, has published a number of articles of the state on Cuba's youth and their role in the political shifts that may be ahead. In the article "Cuba's Lost Generation," Latell warns that "popular expectations for liberalizing change already are high, especially among the youth...given their frustrations and the hardships they endure." He continues to say that this has indeed been recognized as a threat by the Cuban government, who have "openly acknowledged the dangerously profound alienation of Cuba's youth." In the international community, it is generally accepted that such levels of alienation often lead to political violence. Looking ahead to the transition, it is possible that new forms of dissent, such as the internet, have been capitalized on by the rising generation as an alternative to violence. In this respect, I find Raul Castro's efforts to gradually liberalize many government policies on the island as an acknowledgement of this and an attempt at a more peaceful transition. 

According to Latell, it is yet to be seen if Cuba's youth has substantial political organization to tangibly confront their leaders and this is echoed in an article by Sarah Miller Llana and Matthew Clark in the Christian Science Monitor. The article's title calls Cuban youth "Restless but Not Often Political," and starts off with a tag line of: "They just want the freedom to travel and access to the tech touchstones of their generation: iPods, Facebook, and text messages." What some may not be seeing is that the fight for such material items is political in itself, as the demand of these "tech touchstones" is, in the context of globalization, in fact a demand for the freedoms of speech and assembly. While the adult generation in the United States is use to viewing technology as an idle pastime for their youth, the recent presidential elections proved that text messages and Facebook are in fact tools for youth political organization. This is

also the case with our peers 90 miles south of the Florida straits, as seen in February when the call for such social liberalization certainly turned political. At the University of Information Sciences in Havana, students pressed National Assembly president Ricardo Alarcon for answers to questions that ranged from the right to travel, low wages, and access to the internet (see the image at the right which contains a Cuban youth wearing a t-shirt with the @ symbol, peppering Alarcon for answers). In what could only be possible in the current age of technology, a video of the meeting was later posted on the internet site YouTube, sharing with the world this unprecedented, open confrontation between Cuban youths and their government.

In a less formal and much more clandestine setting, Cuban university students capitalized on another form of technology to communicate with their American peers. In a video-conference organized by University of Miami Assistant Provost Dr. Andy Gomez, who is also a Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies, the Cuban students (whose names were kept secret) sat in an unknown living-room type setting and chatted with their peers for an hour. They asked for university materials and expressed the hope for more contact across the Florida straits, implying that the revolutionary zeal that has historically classified the Cuban milieu has possibly not been passed down to the rising generation. This is an example of an opening of dialogue across national lines--a new phenomenon for both American and Cuban citizens--which is facilitated by access to technology. The new voice that technology gives young Cubans is an alternative to their often limited options of dissent, including the last-resort option of violent protest which is predicted to be a possibility in Cuba's future (see Latell's report on "Cuba's Unquiet Youth"). 

Perhaps the most illustrative example of technology giving a big voice to a marginalized segment of society is the case of one young Cuban woman, Yoani Sanchez, who has used her blog Generation Y to express dissatisfaction with her local reality to readers around the globe. Sanchez's blog, in only a short while since Cuba gained limited access to internet, has promoted an ordinary young Cuban to one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People and garnered enough support in Cuba to pose a threat to the government (they shut down access to Generation Y in March). Sanchez dedicates her blog to "the people like me...Born in Cuba in the 1970s and 80s, marked by rural schools, Russian dolls, illegal emigration and frustration" and discusses a range of topics such as the effects of Hurricane Gustav, the difficulty to get food at government-owned stores and what visitors to the island should bring (potable water tabs, vitamins, school materials, soap, shampoo, children clothes). Apparently Sanchez is not alone as a Cuban blogger, as she lists over a dozen other Cuban blogs and sites in her linkroll. This popular site (see advertisement in the top left of post) not only shows the innovation of Cuban youth to express themselves in a sometimes repressive political environment, but also demonstrates the importance that participation in the global community has for our generation. As the Christian Science Monitor reporter Sara Miller Llana reports in her article about Yoani, when access to Generation Y was shut down in Cuba, she continued e-mailing her entries to friends abroad who then e-mailed her back the thousands of responses from readers, leading Sanchez to consider herself a "blind blogger." The advantages of this creative use of technology as a tool is best understood how Yoani Sanchez describes it to Sara Miller LLana: "though the government has been physically able to stop her, she says, the technology that has made her--inadvertently from her perspective--the spokesperson of her generation is beyond their grasp...'They can try to restrict technology, but we Cubans are very adept.'"

All of the cases we have witnessed in the past year, since Raul Castro came to power, show young people using new technology to advance their marginalized position through the communication of their needs, wants and realities. By garnering support and attention in their local and international communities, these young people are also indirectly getting a voice in the government, who must realize that if they do not pay heed to the voices of the rising generation, they could potentially face outbursts in the streets. This "informal democracy" that the youth are creating for themselves could, in the best of situations, lead to further social openings that would hopefully provide dissatisfied youth with more forms of expression. It is also an important revelation for us in the United States that the ways that young people are using technology go far beyond entertainment and social scenes.