Season 1: The Future of Internet in MENAHost Alex Farley sits down with Joe F. Khalil and Mohamed Zayani to discuss their latest book, “The Digital Double Bind: Change and Stasis in the Middle East.” In the book, the authors discuss the development of the telecommunications industry in the Middle East and its impact on the development of the internet in the region. The conversation explores infrastructure development, early chatrooms experiences, and the evolving world of political speech on the internet in the Arab World.On this episode:1:54 – Inspiration for the book7:02 – Defining the digital double bind12:50 – Development of ICT in MENA22:40 – Connections between states and markets31:04 – Building a history of the Arab Internet37:45 – Looking at the startup ecosystem todayReferences:The Digital Double Bind: Change and Stasis in the Middle East (https://academic.oup.com/book/55303)By Mohamed Zayani and Joe F. Khalil, Oxford University Press, 2024