Most images we see of the Arab world depict war, despair, and anti-Western fervor. But what about the Arab culture that spawned award-winning films and literature and a media network that rivals CNN? A culture whose citizens are hooked on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and whose most recognizable woman (Fifi Abdou) is a belly dancer?
Pop Culture Arab World! is the first volume to explore the full scope of Arab cultural life since World War II. The book reveals a homogeneous yet richly diverse culture across the Arab nations.
In-depth chapters feature radio/TV (particularly the satellite revolution, which has fostered a shared Arab identity), the press (vibrant and controversial), cinema (once thriving, now in crisis), music (the beating heart of modern Arabness), theater (a largely assimilated Western import), popular religion, belly dance (originating in the Arab world), Western consumerism, sport, and the Arabic language (for Muslims, the tongue of God’s final revelation). At a time when almost all we see of the Middle East is violence, oppressive nationalism, dangerous zealotry, and despair, this book is a vivid reminder of the humanity of the region’s diverse people.
