Media, Power, and Politics in the Digital Age

The events surrounding the disputed reelection of Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad captured the imagination of the world and launched a global revolution in the way that information is captured and shared by the media. This is the first attempt to analyze what went wrong and what went right in the media's coverage of those events. It is a much-needed contribution to an issue, and a country, that will remain on everyone's radar for years to come. -- Reza Aslan, UC Riverside, author of No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam
Iran's democratic movement, particularly in the aftermath of last June's contested presidential election, has been one of the biggest media events of the last decade. The movement has also been singular for its fresh, innovative use of modern tools of the digital age. This impressive collection of essays is the first attempt to study both the nature of the global coverage, and the ability of Iranian democrats to use these tools effectively in their fight for liberation. A must read for any serious student of recent politics in Iran, and of the evolving nature of news in our increasingly globalized world. -- Abbas Milani, Stanford University; author of Eminent Persians: Men and Women Who Made Modern Iran, 1941-1979
In terms of modern communications theories and practices, contemplating an event as globally significant as the uprisings and crackdowns that followed the fraudulent presidential election of 2009 in Iran deserves a work of scholarship as ambitious in scope and incisive in its various analyses as this book offers. Without it, our understanding of what happened and is still unfolding would have remained incomplete and altogether unreliable. -- Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak, University of Maryland
For those who live in the Western countries and elsewhere, it is crucial to gain a better understanding of the complexity of the political and cultural situation in Iran. Expertly edited by Yahya Kamalipour, this book provides a wealth of informative material written by leading global media scholars, media professionals, and assorted experts on Iran that shed much needed light on the media coverage of the 2009 contested presidential election and provide significant insight about power, politics, culture, and media in the country. -- Douglas Kellner, UCLA; author of Media Culture and Media Spectacle and the Crisis of Democracy
As America's confrontation with Iran escalates, understanding what is happening inside Iran becomes steadily more important. The essays in this book are full of insights into the power of new media in Iran, its influence on the 2009 election, and emerging trends that may lead the country toward a very different future. -- Stephen Kinzer, author of Crescent and Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds
Offers 24 academic papers providing an analysis of the role and impact of modern communication technologies, particularly the utilization of social networking or what some call 'small digital media.' -- Chris Sterling * Communication Booknotes Quarterly *
This book, a series of research-based academic essays, edited by Yahya R. Kamalipour, examines the way the media of different countries covered Iran’s 2009 election, especially through new digital technologies....For anyone seeking detailed insight into both pro- and anti-government views in Iran after the 2009 election, and an understanding of how those events affect Iranians and international politics today, this book provides extensive detail and evidence. * Media International Australia *