Call for Papers: Islam, Citizenship and the New Media (Cairo)

CAIRO - The impact of new media on the practice and the preaching of Islam has been a topic of research for over a decade. While certain aspects still necessitate further research, this sub- domain at the intersection of social sciences, communication theory and Islamic studies has by now been quite extensively charted. In addition, the technologies of new media and the communities of users, consumers and producers have reached maturity.

In the literature this favored topic has engendered, three main themes seem to dominate a diversity of findings and conclusions:
Firstly, a phenomenon often described as the “fragmentation of authority”, whereby
1. a larger number of actors lay claim to the monopoly of orthodox truth and normative behavior, leading to the rise of new identities, and to competitive identity politics replacing the more static dynamics of traditional authority;
Secondly, the creation of new communities – or of a new sense of community –
2. between individuals relating beyond traditional borders, be they physical or otherwise. Effects of de-territorialization, but also the re-shaping of existing social fields, lead to new definitions of “the common good”, the emergence of a new public spirit, and a concomitant desire to engage in discussion and/or action;
Thirdly, a double-edged phenomenon: on the one hand, the extension of religious
3. discourse beyond the religious sphere into formerly profane areas of life, that can be termed “Islamization”. On the other hand, the concomitant “vernacularization” or “commodification” of Islam, a process of desacralization of religion whereby it becomes a secular object, a lifestyle or a socio-cultural currency.

Main Topic
The proposed objective of this conference is to see how these three phenomena relate to Egyptian society and citizenry: how the fragmentation of authority, the creation of new communities and the blurring of a distinction between the sacred and the profane affect 1) the construction of identities, 2) participation in society, and 3) consumption and production of culture.
The conference will be divided into three panels, with the aim of focusing on each one of these aspects. We hope this will be a perspective in which the interaction between preachers and audiences, activists and society, young volunteers and established organizations, media users and producers, can be seen as a process, and where identities can be understood as negotiated constructions. While there can be no pretention to “solve the question” of the Egyptian revolution, it is hoped that the chosen themes will shed light on some of the forces at work in these historical events.

Provisional Program
Panel 1 – Sunday 18th December
Authority and Identity: the Emergence of New Actors
Whether it is the constitution of new social entities – “the youth”, “the poor”, “minorities” –, or the rise in prominence of a formerly marginalized set of actors – “women” –, or yet again individual trajectories that seemed unlikely a generation ago, such as that of Amr Khaled and his heirs, a quick overview of the contemporary Islamic landscape of Egypt suggests a multiplication of voices and of claims to authority.
What does the emergence of new actors on the religious scene indicate in terms of broader changes in religion and in society? What new identities and what new realities do they bear witness to? Where and how can these be measured – in terms of audiences, of participants, of intermediaries? Are notions of diversification, fragmentation, and competition valuable? If religious authority is being redefined, in what ways is it construed now?
Panel 2 – Monday 19th December
Community and Common Good: New Active Citizens
The past decade has seen the rise in Egyptian civil society of new modes of communication and new repertoires of action: advocacy, networking, peaceful demonstration, the setting up of associations and NGOs, attracting international attention, and so forth. Development, defense of human rights, gender and minorities issues are also increasingly present in public debate and some Islamic institutions, groups and movements have (selectively) incorporated them into their discourses and activities.
In this context, do the old paradigms of “Islamism” still apply to Islamic activity and activism in Egypt? Does the inclusion of an international dimension in the discourses of certain groups substantially alter their objectives? Do such key-concepts as da’wa undergo a transformation? Is there a distinctly new generation of Islamic activists in Egypt? What is the relation of Islamic groups to the rest of civil society?
Panel 3 – Tuesday 20th December
Religion and Lifestyle: the Emergence of a New Culture
Star preachers, religious programming adopting the formats and styles of the entertainment industry, religious artistic production, fashion, the new design of a gendered public space, ready-made fatwa’s, conspicuous consumption and conspicuous piety…the hybrid cultural products and practices that have sprung from the fertile encounter of Islam and the new media industry are uncountable.
How do changes in the consumption and the production of culture reflect wider societal trends? Are notions of secular vs. religious still valuable? In this context, what does it mean to be pious? Are there cultural battles being fought, and if so how and by whom? What is the object of an “Islamic culture” or an “Islamic industry”? If everything is Islamic but nothing is sacred, what does it mean to be a Muslim?

Background
In April 2010, the NVIC embarked upon an 18-months long research project within the framework of the research programme ‘Strengthening knowledge of and dialogue with the Muslim world’, in short Islam Research Programme (IRP), funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and administered by the Project Office IRP. The NVIC project originally took Islamic preaching in the new media in Egypt as its subject, with an initial focus on the various communication strategies developed by competing Islamic actors. In the course of this (still ongoing) research, new perspectives arising from our findings, as well as changes in focus brought about by the 25th January revolution, broadened our approach to the central question of Islamic discourse. At the close of our project, this conference provides an opportunity to present our findings and to relate them to the profound changes at work in contemporary Egyptian society.

Attendance and Contributions
We welcome scholars, Islamic actors, media and communication experts and policy experts to attend the conference. While the project has kept a focus on actors rather than on audiences, contributions based on audience-research, specifically with regard to the link between media and civic culture, are very welcome.
Should you wish to present a paper at the conference, we ask you to register at the email address listed below before July 1st 2011. A definitive title and a 300 words abstract will be expected by October 1st 2011. Contributions should last no longer than 15-20 minutes. Should you wish to attend the conference without a paper, we ask you to register at the email address listed below, before November 1st 2011. There is no registration fee. NVIC will not be able to cover your expenses for travel to and accommodation in Cairo.
We plan to publish the proceedings of this conference. Details on preparation and submission of manuscripts will follow in a later circular.

Contact
Dr. Sabine Dorpmüller
Paulien Baujard
p.c.baujard@nvic.leidenuniv.nl
Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo (NVIC)
1, Mahmoud Azmy Street, P.O. Box 50,
11211 Zamalek, Cairo, Egypt
Tel +20-27382520
Fax +20-27382523