Effects of American Pop Culture on the political stability of the Arab Spring!

Authors

Mina Alsadoon

Document Type

Research Paper

Publication Date

9-2-2019

Abstract

The Arab Spring was an act of rebellion by the youth to ask for freedom of speech, a relief from the dictatorship era, and to demand basic civil rights. It all started in Tunisia when a policewoman slapped a young boy in public when he was trying to sell merch on the sidewalk to support his family, the boy resulted to burning himself in public as its a shameful thing that a woman hit a man. That in a way started a revolution to enlighten people's minds, and be conscience to reality. In 2009, the Middle East started to get more Americanized and influenced by the most dominant culture in the world through its music, videos, movies, and TV programs. From Arab/American rap songs to Jon Stewart shows that were copied in a way to “the Arabic version.” I want to expand on this conversation by comparing lyrics from American famous rap songs and modern and most recent Arabic rap songs, and also show how TV shows like “Al Bernameg” by Dr. Bassem Youssef made a big change in the political arena in Egypt. Although American pop culture effects political stability around the world and the Middle East in an indirect way, nevertheless, Arab's tend to copy the dominant pop culture in art, music, and movies because it helps them to ask for many basic civil rights. In movies such as WEST BEIRUT we will see how this documentary movie is reflecting on 1975, civil war breaks out in Lebonan were separating the Muslim-Christian-Jewish mixed West Beirut from the quasi-Christian East Beirut. Similar in a way to the documentary I HAVE A DREAM when Dr. Martin Luther King was trying to provide justice for all and this was the start of the Civil Rights Movement. I will suggest that Arabs may feel better in duplicating many pop cultural trends in Hollywood movies and programs not due to creativity, but because of the self-esteem and psychological effects. When Middle Eastern sees how the United States of America has reached this level of democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, etc. they want to reach that level of democracy as well. I will argue that Egypt would have been right now ruled by the son of the former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak by having the presidency inherited to him as the next person in line, although it's not a crown ruled country. Instead, because of the American influence of its pop culture to the world and especially the Middle East, they would never have moved toward the Arab Spring. This research paper is important because it will show how artists can work together with people's needs. How celebrities communicate with each other from different countries and choose art as their communication tools. I will also talk about how when I lived in Egypt, Cairo for 9 years, I was a witness to the struggle of Egyptians and the Arab Spring events.

Recommended Citation

Alsadoon, Mina, "Effects of American Pop Culture on the political stability of the Arab Spring!" (2019). Pop Culture Intersections. 35.
https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/engl_176/35