Scandals, Scandalisation and Society in the Arab Region

Special Issue of the Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication

Guest Editors: Abderrahim Chalfaouat & Hendrik Michael

Drawing on Carey (1988), scandals are “a communicative invariant”. That is, they are a form of communication that occurs in every culture and at all times in human history so that it may constitute “a part of our species’ social evolution” (Haller and Michael, 2020, 7). Scandal has a social function, as Thompson (2000), among others, pointed out. However, international and interdisciplinary efforts in scandal research show that a scandal can unfold differently in many societies. This depends on diverse factors, such as the form of the political system, diffusion and access to media technologies, media logic(s) of journalism and other forms of public discourse, legal codes, or religious beliefs.

In the Arab region, despite receiving limited theoretical and empirical attention, scandals can provide valuable insights into power dynamics and cultural interactions. They influence practices such as doxing, shaming, denunciation, and public scrutiny (Chalfaouat, 2021). Scandals are shaped by local societal norms and cultural contexts, where religious beliefs often favor secrecy. While invading privacy is considered sinful, the public exposure of private misdemeanors can significantly damage the reputations of public figures (ElHaies, 2021). Furthermore, in a landscape marked by power imbalances, persistent (post)-colonialities, ongoing societal transitions, political impunity, economic corruption, and mass surveillance intersect with the aspirations of tech-savvy yet politically marginalized youth striving for democracy. When legal frameworks and media systems are compromised (Dragomir and Söderström, 2021), irregular access to information and undemocratic electoral processes transform scandals into double-edged events. They can either uncover misconduct and drive political and social reform or, conversely, stifle freedom of speech, undermine the rule of law, deepen institutional divisions, or reveal international interference in domestic Arab affairs. This highlights the importance of examining other media, such as literature, to gain a more nuanced understanding of scandalization in the Arab region (El-Ariss, 2019).

Focusing on the Arab region, this special issue aims to look at a) the discursive qualities of scandal; b) the assemblages of scandalisation, i.e. the institutions, figurations, practices, and technologies that make scandals; and c) a diverse array of scandals and scandalization experiences.

Submissions are hoped to explore the meanings, manifestations and implications of scandals, and analyze specific cases that have shaped public discourses and influenced policy-making across various Arab societies. Articles may focus on political controversies, corruption allegations, or how scandalization takes centre stage in public discourses to support cultural traditions, democratic aspirations or dictatorial practices. Through analysing micro- or meso- case studies, the issue purports to formulate a macro-understanding of how scandals reflect and impact social structures, media narratives, and public perceptions within the Arab context.

Topics of interest include, though not necessarily limited to:
– Cultural interpretations and representations of scandals: How scandals related to honour and morality are depicted in Arab literature and media.
– Political scandals and their ramifications: Case studies on scandals related to the Arab Spring movements, corruption charges against prominent political figures, or scandals during elections.
– Social media and the weaponization of scandals: How platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Tik Tok have influenced the spread and impact of scandals during the Arab Spring protests, #MeToo movements, or the Covid-19 lockdown.
– Scandals that result from spreading, or the backlash of spreading, leaks, hacks or mass surveillance operations
– Scandalization as shaming, denunciation and online public scrutiny
– Impact of scandals on political change and democratization
– Scandals related to environmental issues (climate change, abuse of mines and fuels, water shortage, green deals, energy crises, etc).
– Media coverage of scandals in Arab sports
– Scandals related to media capture, media censorship, access to information, etc
– Scandals and the Palestinian cause: Case studies on how supporting or refraining from supporting Palestine is portrayed as a scandal within local political, economic, or cultural interactions
– Scandals and interference of foreign powers
– Ethics and accountability in scandal reporting: Ethical dilemmas in reporting scandals, such as privacy rights while covering family matters in Arab celebrity culture, health problems of political leaders or private information during whistleblowing leaks.
– Scandals and the use of artificial intelligence: Scandals triggered or amplified by AI-generated fake news, deepfakes, robocalls, clones or smear campaigns

Submission Guidelines:
o We invite scholars, researchers and practitioners of media studies, communication studies, political discourse, aesthetic, anthropological, pop culture, or scandalogy studies to submit abstracts of articles that critically engage with scandals and scandalisation in the Arab region.
o Contributions may adopt interdisciplinary perspectives and methodological approaches. They can tackle national case studies, but transnational ones are equally welcome.
o All submissions should be original and must not be under consideration for publication elsewhere.
o No article processing charges (APCs) are required.
o A few book or movie reviews will be added to the special issue.
o Please send your abstracts (or questions) to the guest editors at a.chalfaouat@univh2c.ma and hendrik.michael@uni-bamberg.de

Important Dates:
• Abstract submission deadline: February 28, 2025
• Notification of abstract acceptance: March 15, 2025
• Full article submission deadline: July 31, 2025
• Expected publication date: November, 2025

To know more about the host journal, please visit the Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication.