The Arab world today stands at the intersection of shifting global alliances, prolonged conflicts, and the rise of new powers competing for influence across the Middle East. Media plays a pivotal role in this environment, not only as a mirror reflecting events but also as an active participant shaping narratives, identities, and public opinion. The coverage of wars and conflicts, the construction of national and regional soft power, and the increasingly blurred lines between journalism, strategic communication, and digital activism underscore the centrality of media in contemporary geopolitics.
Traditional and new media platforms are being mobilized in different ways: to wage information wars, to brand nations in global markets, to influence foreign policy debates, and to create alternative narratives that challenge dominant Western perspectives. At the same time, transformations in media ownership, the rise of AI-driven technologies, and the expanding role of transnational digital platforms are reshaping how politics is communicated and contested across the region.
For its 40th issue, Arab Media & Society invites scholars, researchers, and practitioners to submit contributions that critically interrogate the nexus between media and geopolitics in the Arab world. We welcome theoretically informed and empirically grounded research that sheds light on how media institutions, journalists, communicators, and audiences engage with, resist, or reproduce geopolitical agendas.
Deadline for all submissions : 7th January, 2026.
Contact : editor@arabmediasociety.com.