Description
Global populism has been on the rise in recent years, with the election of leaders like Donald Trump in the United States, Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, Viktor Orban in Hungary, and Narendra Modi in India, among many others, including in the UK.
While claiming to represent the interests of common people, it has led to a resurgence of nationalism and protectionism, as well as increasing polarisation and fragmentation within societies.
Our panel will explore the rise of global populism, how disinformation campaigns are a key tool for populist and authoritarian leaders alike, and how by exploiting digital technologies, these actors can amplify their messages and shape public opinion in ways that were previously impossible.
Special guests include Marc Owen Jones, author of Digital Authoritarianism in the Middle East: Deception, Disinformation and Social Media, Dr Saeed Khan, lecturer in Near East and Asian Studies at Wayne State University Detroit, and Jordanian-Filipina writer and editor Malu Halasa.
About the Speakers
Marc Owen Jones
Marc Owen Jones is Assistant Professor of Middle East Studies at Hamad bin Khalifa University, Qatar, where he researches disinformation and digital media. He holds a PhD in Government and International Affairs from Durham University and has published extensively on Gulf politics and media.
Saeed Khan
Saeed Khan is Senior Lecturer in Near East & Asian Studies and Global Studies at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan. He is also the co-founder of the Institute for Social Policy & Understanding, and a panelist on Turning Point for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
About the Chair
Malu Halasa
Malu Halasa is a Jordanian Filipina American writer and editor based in London. She is the editor of seven anthologies on Middle Eastern art and culture, including two on Iran: Transit Tehran: Young Iran and Its Inspirations and Kaveh Golestan: Recording the Truth in Iran, with Hengameh Golestan. Halasa has written for The Guardian, Financial Times and Times Literary Supplement. She was previously an editor at the Prince Claus Fund in Amsterdam, Editor-at-Large for Portal 9 in Beirut, Lebanon, and a founding editor of Tank Magazine in London. She is currently Literary Editor for Middle Eastern arts magazine, the Markaz Review.
Join Our Mailing List
By submitting this form you agree to our Privacy Policy and to receive marketing emails, including e-newsletters and event updates from Bradford Literature Festival.