[Commlist] cfp: special issue on Scandals, Scandalisation and Society in the Arab Region

**Call for Submissions to a Special Issue of **the Middle East Journal 
of Culture and Communication* 
<https://brill.com/view/journals/mjcc/mjcc-overview.xml>*****

*Scandals, Scandalisation and Society in the Arab Region***

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:_*__

oWe invite scholars, researchers and practitioners of media studies, 
communication studies, political discourse, aesthetic, anthropological, 
pop culture, or scandalogy to submit abstracts of articles that 
critically engage with scandals and scandalisation in the Arab region.

oContributions may adopt interdisciplinary perspectives and 
methodological approaches. They can tackle national case studies, but 
transnational ones are equally welcome.

oAll submissions should be original and must not be under consideration 
for publication elsewhere.

oNo article processing charges (APCs) are required.

oA few book or movie reviews will be added to the special issue.

oPlease send your abstracts (or questions) to the guest editors at 
(a.chalfaouat /at/ univh2c.ma) <mailto:(a.chalfaouat /at/ univh2c.ma)>and 
(hendrik.michael /at/ uni-bamberg.de) <mailto:(hendrik.michael /at/ 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

**Note on **the Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication* 
<https://brill.com/view/journals/mjcc/mjcc-overview.xml>*****

The Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication (MJCC) provides a 
transcultural academic venue that engages Middle Eastern and Western 
scholars in a critical dialogue about culture, communication and 
politics. It also functions as a forum for debate on the Arab region’s 
encounters with modernity and the ways in which this is reshaping 
people’s everyday experiences. The MJCC encourages work that 
reconceptualizes dominant paradigms and theories of communication in 
ways that focus on local cultural particularities. The MJCC also 
supports work that challenges the static and suzerain epistemological 
frameworks through which the Middle East has been represented and perceived.

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