Imagined Coherence: Transnational Media and the Arab Diaspora in Europe

Abstract

Globalization has become an integral part of our world experience regardless of location, means, or time. Arjun Appadurai states that this process is inevitable and unavoidable.1 A central claim of this approach is that globalization changes the “rules of the game” in that it extends basic communication and cultural exchange.2 The effects of the globalization phenomenon are evident not only in the case of Arabs in Germany but also in other places in Europe and elsewhere.3 They are also evident among other minorities living in Germany—particularly among Turks and Kurds.4 Continuing the research in this field, this study highlights the effects of Arab transnational media, especially satellite television and the Internet, among Arabs in Berlin. The chapter will address the following questions: How do members of the Arab community in Berlin consume media? What are the implications of this media consumption in the community—particularly across generations—in terms of its relationship with the Arab homeland and with German society?KeywordsYoung GenerationArab WorldHost SocietyTelevision DramaGerman StudentThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.